


Iwaizumi x Afterlife

by mariabumby



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, BUT I DONT WRITE THEM DYING K, ESCORTED SOULS ARE ALREADY DEAD, Gen, M/M, MOSTLY HAPPY ENDINGS YEAH, Other, Supernatural??STUFF I guess, chapters are episodic and focus on one chara at a time, experimental prose/format, happy ending i swear, i'm really gunning for light-hearted, iwa oi suga are the constant cast, kuro too after his chap, or else oiks wouldn't be doing his job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-09-26 06:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9871289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariabumby/pseuds/mariabumby
Summary: Iwaizumi is a high school student who is recruited by oikawa (shinagami- tooru) & sugawara (assistant -koushi) to work for a transportation service that takes wandering souls to heaven, via white motorcycle to the sky. Iwaizumi is convenient to possess, and for the souls they have to deliver, there’s going to be a lot of trouble in the afterlife.OrThe Shinagami Haikyuu AU noone asked for- last wishes everywhere.





	1. CASE 1: OLD MAN IKKEI UKAI

**Author's Note:**

> chaps...  
> CASE 1: OLD MAN IKKEI UKAI  
> CASE 2: KYOUTANI KENTAROU  
> CASE 3: LEV HAIBA or TRAINING with KUROO TETSUROU  
> CASE 4: AKAASHI KEIJI, SENSEI  
> INTERLUDE: a “SAWAMURA DAICHI”  
> CASE 5: USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI  
> CASE 6: YACHI HITOKA  
> CASE 7: IWAIZUMI HAJIME
> 
> other tags gonna be fulfilled in next chapters..  
> gratuitously based on omakae desu
> 
>  
> 
> OKKKAYY ---- HERE's NOTHING

 

 

 

 

**LATE NIGHT - PARCEL, EMPTY LOT W/ A SOLITARY TREE**

IWAIZUMI HAJIME, 18 year old, tired college student walking home catches an eerie but beautiful sight. A full moon floating above an almost weeping, half broken tree swaying gently in the cool air. The leaves rustle, but it’s quiet.

 

Voice: YOU STUBBORN OLD MULE, YOU’RE SUPER DEAD UKAI.

“Ukai”: WHAT THE FUCK. YOU BRAT-

Two forms are wrestling beneath a tree.

Ukai: I CAN. TALK!!

Voice: YOU’RE A _GHOST._

Ukai: *sputters. NO. I’M. NOT DEAD

 

Iwaizumi is close enough to make out the forms. One with an alien brightness,  a tangle of vivid color. Chocolate hair, beige khakis. The other a familiar shape, OLD MAN IKKEI UKAI from the corner foothill store, sixty and brash but muted, like you were seeing him through sheer curtains. It _is_ old man ukai-

 

Iwaizumi: hey I attended you’re funeral

His brows furrow, stating the obvious.

The other form pins a distracted Ukai down to the ground, with an exultant Aha!

Iwaizumi mutters

Iwaizumi: ghost?

Ukai: Iwaizumi.

 

The other form butts in with an excited smile.

Voice: Oikawa! shinagami. Escort of the reluctant to the other side.

Oikawa: And ukai-san

The self proclaimed shinigami jabs a finger at the ghost of the man

 

Oikawa: you’re running out of time. If we force you, it _will_ hurt.

Ukai manages to phase through Oikawa's grip and disappears.

 

 

 

 

 

**CUT TO LATE NIGHT - CORNER FOOTHILL STORE**

Iwaizumi drags his feet into the canned items aisle,and shifts a duffel bag across heavy shoulders. Volleyball Club ended late and he still had to do groceries. He’s exhausted. Maybe why he’s seeing  ghost, old man Ukai trying to grab a pack of cigarettes near the cashier line.

 

Iwaizumi: you’re still here?

Ukai: it’s my store, kid.

Iwaizumi points at Ukai grabbing at nothing.

Iwaizumi: That doesn’t seem to work.

Ukai: Yeah and so far you’re the only live thing that can hear me.

Ukai mutters.

Ukai: can’t even get near babies. Ghost life is pretty useless.

Iwaizumi: huh?

Ukai: can’t see my first grandson.

Iwaizumi: oh.

 

Iwaizumi shifts awkwardly. Right HANA-chan, brown hair, short bangs.

Ukai’s daughter on her third trimester.

 

He tries to place a comforting hand, but is **CUT TO** jolted, sucked into a typhoon of ukai’s presence. Iwaizumi's vision reverses, everything is white, but for their colored shaking outlines.

There’s a faint glow on one of the familiar shop assistants, the unassuming one with faint grey hair, SUGAWARA KOUSHI but Iwaizumi is buckling, feels Ukai’s regret punch through his own chest a heavy blue- Iwaizumi’s feet(?) try to scramble on their own towards the exit. Iwaizumi sees Sugawara reach for him in his periphery, but in slow motion.

 

 **CUT TO** A tall form collides and catches Iwaizumi, a comforting liquid embrace, brown orbs-- suddenly, Oikawa's _hands_.

Fission starts, and Ukai is thrashing within him.

 

Oikawa: SUGA-CHAN! Suga- I can’t--

 

Sugawara launches at Iwaizumi’s form and peels him off off Oikawa. ‘Too dead, too dead, too dead’ oikawa mutters with an edge of panic. Iwaizumi manages to stand somehow, held up bySsugawara but finds himself looking up to Oikawa’s round eyes that seems to dissect through him. Oikawa is vibrant like leaping off of white paper - halo, Iwaizumi figures. It fucking burns-

 

Iwaizumi: STOP that, would you!?

Oikawa clears his throat and pushes a pair of wide glasses on, leans away. Iwaizumi is a little less overwhelmed.

Oikawa: Um,. Ukai?

Oikawa: walk again.

Iwaizumi feels a silent tug at his feet, but it doesn’t budge. Sugawara’s brows shoot up.

 

Sugawara: You’re an amazing container.

Iwaizumi: a what?

 

Oikawa: Ukai-wazumi! *claps his hands together rapidly

Oikawa: which hospital?

Iwaizumi: what are you talking about?

Oikawa leans in like speaking through a telephone.

 

Oikawa: Which. _hospital_?

 

Iwaizumi feels a tug at his chest, it’s not really a word but.

 

 

 

**CUT TO JOZHENJI GENERAL HOSPITAL EXTERIOR - MIDNIGHT**

**CUT TO BIRTHING CLINIC**

Iwaizumi both palms pressed on the glass, a bodily elation at the sight of a tiny infant he’s never known. Iwaizumi has never felt joy like this, rapture like the kind that would tether you to earth. YUJI TERUSHIMA nervous young father, wild blond hair and a band shirt, babbles awkwardly and tramples on his newfound euphoria. The nerve0

 

Terushima: You’re Iwaizumi right?.. That one’s mine, a girl.. Cute ain’t it?

Terushima: Hah..

The young father pats himself down with his fidgeting hands

Terushima: she kinda looks like hana- chan..

Iwaizumi SLAMS GLASS and in booming voice. 

 

Iwaizumi: **MASAMICHI-SAN!!!** (translation: SON-IN-LAW)

Terushima: HHY **YESS!?**

 

Iwaizumi turns to face the young father and executes a small bow. Solemnly he says.

Iwaizumi:  _please take care of my daughter._

 

Iwaizumi exits peacefully away while Terushima devolves into utter panic

 

Terushima: his d-daughter? who’s his daughter?

Terushima: MY BABY? That’s-notmy child?? whaT!!

 

 

 

**CUT TO MATERNITY WARD**

Terushima face is dumbed hands out in supplication.

Terushima: are you sure that’s my kid?

 

Hana-chan, with beauiful baby in hand, smacks him right in the face.

 

 

 

**CUT TO EARLY MORNING - HOSPITAL ROADSIDE**

Sugawara and Oikawa stand by a parked white motorbike. In Iwaizumi’s vision they stick out like headlights, or a lantern to burn in. But they seem to have been standing and waiting like any other person.

 

Sugawara: Iwaizumi-san!

 

Oikawa trips Iwaizumi’s legs and hooks him into a headlock, Ukai’s presence then peels away as easy as day old clothes. But lighthearted annoyance squeezes at Iwaizumi’s chest.

 

Oikawa: IKEI UKAI! YOU STUUBBORN. That was _really dangerous_

Ukai and Iwaizumi both think simultaenously: He's a _really_ whiny shinigami.

 

Oikawa annoucnes.

Oikawa: you better be at peace now!

Iwaizumi: oikawa ugh-no- get off!

Ukai: Hah- fu-I get it!

Oikawa:  you know how much time I wasted on you? Hmmm? GHOST.

Iwaizumi&Ukai: tch-OIKAWA BRAT.

Oikawa gawks at the two in one of them.

Oikawa: you have the same “I’M PISSED” -look! 

Oikawa: JUST. HOLD STILL

 

Oikawa grabs at Iwaizumi’s shoulders, tries to trap Iwaizumi’s head in his arm and elbow. They lock eyes and Oikawa is again in full-color. Windows to soul. Ukai unlatches, and Oikawa’s energy scrape into Iwaizumi’s body fishing out the last of the dead man’s presence. Shivers crawl up Iwaizumi’s spine, as the world rushes to back to normal colors.

 

Oikawa, a slightly duller looking, tie wearing Oikawa, smacks Ukai into sitting on the motorbike. Sugawara hands Iwaizumi a clipboard. It reads: Shinagami Assistance Registration on regular paper.

 

Sugawara: We’ll report tonight as an accident

Sugawara: but you could work with us, you’ll be paid.

Iwaizumi: payment, really.

Iwaizumi: how much?

Sugawara: when you’re in heaven

Sugawara wears the most angelic smile and non-chalantly points to the sky.

Iwaizumi follows with his eyes and  _glares_ at heaven, if you could manage that. 

 

Sugawara: like spiritual _brownie points_

Iwaizumi: figures.

 

 

 

 

**CUT TO FILL IN SKY- EARLY DAWN**

Sugawara hanging off the back of the bike, Oikawa coaxing the handles as the vehicle becomes smaller as it climbs into the orange dawn. Ukai raises a fist back at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi's face is incredulous. Finds himself mirroring ukai's elation of seeing his first grandchild.

 

He tries to squash the odd mix of supernatural and fond memory with gritted teeth.

Iwaizumi: good riddance.

 

 

**CUT TO TERUSHIMA RESIDENCE**

Iwaizumi and the newly grown Terushima family gather around a low table. Iwaizumi's body is saying nervous, but also shocked and very _relieved_.

 

Terushima: i knew you sounded like the old man!!

 

Iwaizumi: wow.

Iwaizumi: wow, you believe me.

Hana-chan: so what is it, Iwaizumi? Which name do you like better?

Terushima: yeah for our little girl.

The referred cute little thing wiggles at Terushima’s lap. Iwaizumi recalls the presence of Ukai in each inch of his body, a gift, a memory.

 

 

Iwaizumi: i think your dad likes “haruichi.”

 

 

 

 

Haruichi means spring.


	2. CASE 2: KYOUTANI KENTAROU

**SUNDOWN -MIYAGI ROADSIDE**

IWAIZUMI HAJIME, the very next day, heading home from school looks twice at the empty lot with the broken tree where he first met Oikawa. The colors don’t change and people seem to move with a common transparency.

 

 **CUT TO** the next morning, Iwaizumi peeks into a supposedly haunted stairwell in school but hears, feels, smells nothing, and rushes to volleyball practice.

 

 **CUT TO** Iwaizumi slumped in a bus seat. His eyes tracing lazily over the familiar city-rural landscape, the people on the bus are frustratingly cliche. Not that he’s craved for another supernatural experience, but other than the Shinagami Assist Card that Sugawara mailed to his apartment, he’s not even sure if the whole thing was real.

 

Iwaizumi’s eyes linger on the hair of a uniformed nurse bent over a seat, brown careless locks. Neat skirt, shapely thighs, attractive legs - really clean white shoes. The figure straightens up, and it’s taller than he expected, and Iwaizumi didn’t really mean to gawk but, speak-of-a-devil

 

Iwaizumi: O-Oikawa!?pf-

 

Iwaizumi laughs himself, shuts his face into the bus seat. He bites hard enough on his lip that the other passengers don’t take notice, but tears are leaking from his eyes and Oikawa is already stalking towards him. Sugawara, in a doctor’s uniform, cranes his head above the seat a few rows down.

 

Iwaizumi: pfft-

Oikawa: hey!!!

Oikawa slaps Iwaizumi like a child.

 

OIkawa: you don’t know how many we actually get this way.

Iwaizumi: oh yeah- seduce them like a bad porno?

Oikawa pulls a disgusted face.

Oikawa: it gets me in hospital rooms, doesn’t shock just-died patients!

Iwaizumi knits his brows, states the obvious.

Iwaizumi: you’re in a skirt

Oikawa: Not my fault _I’m_ attractive in it.

Iwaizumi groans, doubly pissed and entertained. How even?

Iwaizumi: wow. you’re just ridiculous

 

Oikawa elbows his way into the seat beside Iwaizumi. Oikawa seems _devastatingly_ normal right now- no crashing colors, no absurd weight of gravity. A Shinagami that has a physical body (Iwaizumi felt warm on body contact) and an assistant Sugawara waving textbook thick documents of souls at him. All for pick-up.

 

Oikawa wears hooded eyes, and a lowered voice.

Oikawa: anything, _to make them go peacefully_

Iwazumi straightfaced, grave and serious. 

Iwaizumi: so you do reenact pornos.

 

Iwaizumi dodges Oikawa’s slap.

Oikawa: Shutup!SHutup!SHut- I need your talent for someone in particular.

Iwaizumi: oh, what _is_ my talent exactly?

Oikawa: You’re a unique container.

Oikawa: Spirits can possess you, but you retain control of your body.

Oikawa: seems like you got great spiritual strength iwa-chan!

 

Iwaizumi: iwa-what? wait. except that one time when ukai yelled at his son-in-law

Oikawa: hm, at that moment, Ukai’s will was simply stronger.

Oikawa: but with you the dead can live out their last wishes

Iwaizumi: you don’t wanna force them to come with you.

 

Oikawa whines.

Oiakwa: that’s actually pretty inefficient iwa-chan.

Oikawa jabs at the sheaf of papers.

Oikawa: The only reason I’m one of the top performing shinagami is I save my energy for _actual_ transportation and not coercion.

 

Sugawara leans in.

Sugawara: next stop’s the hospital

Oikawa: _yes_ suga,

Sugawara: coming Iwaizumi?

 

**EXTERIOR - CRITICAL CARE UNIT - BALCONY**

KYOUTANI KENTAROU, 14 year old boy, shock of yellow hair and mean eyes, is squatting over the edge like a hunched gargoyle. He’s outwardly transparent, so Iwaizumi is reassured he can see ghosts. Or reluctant spirits to cross over to the other side. Iwaizumi is taking all of this in stride.

 

Iwaizumi coughs and is straight to the point

Iwaizumi: why haven’t you crossed over yet?

Kyoutani grumbles.

 

Kyoutani:No reason.

Iwaizumi: ?!. so do it already.

 

Iwaizumi face twists in frustration but catches Kyoutani’s eyes. it’s  burning holes into the view - sparse buildings, a small amusement park at the distance.

 

Iwaizumi: so.. you want to go to the amusement park.

Kyoutani: what. NO.

Iwaizumi : Why are you chained?

Kyoutani: *snarls. how the hell should i know?!

Kyoutani: can’t even get out of this god forsaken hospital.

Kyoutani gestures at the chains on his limbs. 

 

Iwaizumi tries to touch the non-matter. Floating links that start at Kyoutani’s ankle and float into his intensive care unit. Iwaizumi touches the link, it feels like buried rocks to the touch, damp like they haven’t seen the light of day. It terminates under a pillow, two crumpled amusement park tickets, with valid dates.

 

**CUT TO INTERIOR -HOSPITAL**

Iwaizumi: So he does want to go.

Oikawa: good going sherlock.

 

Oikawa is sitting cross-legged on the bed. Sugawara closes his eyes in genuine concern, the doctor cover fits him like a second skin.

 

Sugawara: Kyoutani doesn’t want to be helped, he made his old nurses cry.

Iwaizumi: hmm so Kyoutani’s a jerk, why bother escorting him?

Oikawa visibly droops.

Oikawa: can’t be picky ..

Sugawara: besides, see that chain? It’s a subconscious last - _dying_ wish, really strong, too strong actually.

Oikawa: hassle to break - not when he can just go to the park

Iwaizumi: in my body

Kyoutani slams the balcony door.

Kyoutani: I TOLD YOU, I’M NOT GOING.

Iwaizumi squares off with the younger person-ghost and stares him in the eye. This should be simple really.

 

Iwaizumi: Possess me then, get out of the hospital vicinity.

Iwaizumi: I want to go the park. You don’t. Let’s see who wins out.

 

Kyoutani perks at the challenge. Iwaizumi offers his hand like an arm wrestle, this time he anticipates it. **CUT TO** The unfurling rush of another being seeping into the rest of his body, Iwaizumi’s knees don’t buckle but Kyoutani’s regret slaps like hard concrete, like a swirling storm of confusion in lungs, and an eye blinding rage of a soul that has too much fight to be caged in terminally fucked body. Everything is an antiseptic and aggressive white, shaking colored outlines.

 

Kyoutani’s soul sings at the nice breadth of Iwaizumi’s muscles - it tauts and coils into it’s new toys, Iwaizumi braces his walls - _(not giving you an inch)_ . Iwaizumi feels Kyoutani try to slam through him and Iwaizumi just tightens his grasp on his own body, his throat, he thinks - _(so about that park)_.

 

Kyotani’s inner chest falls, a faded pink.

 

Iwaizumi: fuck i knew it, you actually want to go.

Kyoutani strength falters. Oikawa and Sugawara perk up.  

Iwaizumi: _(you made this chain yourself. It’s strong.)_

Kyoutani pushes-

Iwaizumi: _(you can let go of it now.)_

Iwaizumi: _(If you come to the park)_

Kyoutani pushes and collapses under the words.

 

..

 

Kyoutani: _((fine))_

Kyoutani: _((but i get to pick who comes with me))_

  
  
  
  


**CUT TO EXTERIOR - COAST AMUSEMENT PARK - ENTRANCE**

Iwaizumi: you know i never pegged you for having a type

Iwaizumi: and i don’t really want to judge

Iwaizumi: but are you absolutely sure-

 

Oikawa Tooru, in a space alien graphic tee, thick framed glasses (who even has multiple frames for glasses?) and a fucking bubblegum cloud of cotton candy, sticks his tongue out at Iwaizumi.

 

Iwaizumi: -you want to go out with _Oikawa._

 

And the colors even look extra weird, with the flipped vision of the afterlife. But Iwaizumi’s in it long enough to be used to it. But now Oikawa’s just too vivid and - Kyoutani had to bristle, bristle! inside of Iwaizumi, without meaning to, attention grazing on the light pale skin, the slim valley of nose, a cute chin.

 

Iwaizumi: okay, fuck fuck fuck.  teenager, reel it in.

Oikawa: aw!

Oikawa leans into his space, giddy. _preening_

Oikawa: Ken-chan likes me!

Iwaizumi: why couldn’t you have picked suga-san.

 

Iwaizumi is exasperated.

Sugawara: Oh thank you iwa-kun.

Iwaizumi: you’re welcome suga-san.

Oikawa: *mutters. i feel betrayed!

 

**CUT TO CO-OP SHOOTING GAME**

Oikawa and Iwaizumi are shooting at a metal can castle with pellet guns trying to make the best time. This is only the second time they've met but they seem to work seamlessly together as hey both have attitudes that take parlor games far too seriously with a death wish with full force. This is, until Oikawa fumbles on the last remaining can, and

 

Iwaizumi: WHAT THE FUCK- OIKAWA YOU’RE USELESS

Oikawa: THAT SHIT FACED CAN.  ALSO.  IWA- CHAN - MEAN.

Oikawa: TRIGGGER JAMMED- I

 

Oikawa squashes his face in a gigantic pout and

 

 **CUT TO**  Iwaizumi’s vision blurs , as if water was thrown at it and the colors are bleeding into and all over each other. And he sees Oikawa except it’s not Oikawa. And he’s smaller, younger with pale brown hair storming in Kyoutani’s room. Wearing pants in the nurse uniform and lips arguing, in a similarly vicious , cutting and - cute pout.

 

Not-Oikawa: ANOTHER ONE ?!

Not-Oikawa demands, accuses as he storms through the doorway.

Not-Oikawa: you’re such a bully Kyoutani, stop making all the nurses cry.

Kyoutani: i haven't made _you_ cry.

Kyoutani riles up.

Not-Oikawa: maybe i _prefer_  , arguing with you?

Not-Oikawa glares with a pinning, snarky smirk. Kyoutani hates that he thinks it sexy.

 

Not-Oikawa: no.

Not-Oikawa: actually i want you with a complete bill of health and right out of my ward, cause i’m. sick. and tired. of your face.

Kyoutani: tch.  princess _( i’m not tired of yours)_

Not-Oikawa slaps Kyoutani away, and successfully hooks the new IV unit. He wrestles for Kyoutani’s arm to check on the needle, and Iwaizumi feels flushed panic upon skin contact - it burns like hellfire. The needle is fine. Kyoutani is not-fine, incapable of breathing with eyes trained to the solitary nurse's fingers , hair, chin. With all his strength he schools his figures to general biting disdain about the entire procedure. 

 

Not-Oikawa Nurse, drowns out the hostility with practiced hospital work and absent chatter about vital signs, his day, random comments. Kyoutani just grunts.

 

Not-Oikawa: ..hey. That ferris wheel from the park.. i wonder if you could see the hospital from here..

 

 

Kyoutani: i’ll tell you.

Not-Oikawa: oh really now?

 

Not-Oikawa's hands hover dangerously over Kyoutani's arm.

Not-Oikawa: you’re a tease.

 

Not-Oikawa smiles to himself. A smile that, Iwaizumi remarks, looks genuinely happy. Kyoutani’s heart is entirely obliterated, and it’s like every border and trap just ceased, and for one glazing moment his useless body feels entirely free.

 

 **CUT TO** Iwaizumi collapses on the parlor game barrier and the world is re-hijacked as white with ghost regret and Iwaizumi feels the whiplash of a too-sudden longing, like a bad fruit stuck on his teeth. And he’s staring at Oikawa who’s back to being Oikawa and. No longer pouting but worried, panicking. 

 

Oikawa: Okay what the _hell_  are you staring for, iwa-chan?

Oikawa: is there something on my face!?

 

 

**CUT TO INTERIOR -FERRIS WHEEL**

The machine eases the small room into the sky. Iwaizumi and Oikawa are mostly quiet, and Iwaizumi is sapped of all his energy but wills Kyoutani to carry on- to finish and melt.

Iwaizumi: _(so this yahaba.)_

 

Kyoutani: _((i caught him crying the day i died.))_

Kyoutani: _((i d-died without saying sorry or even thankyou))._  The view keeps rising.

Kyoutani: _((that’s my real regret.))_

Kyoutani: _((*weakly. I’m so mad.))_

Kyoutani cries with his whole body, and there is nothing Iwaizumi could do to stymie it. He hunches over and cries into his knuckles

 

Iwaizumi: jeez. kyou-

Iwaizumi chokes at his sobs. _(what a job)_

Iwaizumi: come on. At least look at the view.

 

**CUT TO PANORAMA - MIYAGI**

A coastal town, with generous vegetation. Night stars. A hospital tucked just around the lower right corner. Visible.

Eyes widen.

 

**CUT TO EXTERIOR - AMUSEMENT PARK - EXIT**

Oikawa lingering around a souvenir shop. Flipping through postcards.

 

 **CUT TO** Suga waiting outside with the white motorcycle, approached by Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

 

Iwaizumi: Kyoutani, he went up on his own.

Sugawara: oh, that’s good.

Oikawa: but -

Oikawa rests a palm on his assistant.

 

**CUT TO HOSPITAL INTERIOR**

Sugawara, in casual pedestrian clothes is rushing through visitor corridors, bumps into SHIGERU YAHABA, pre-occupied, busy flipping through clipboards. Definitely too much like Oikawa.

 

Sugawara: hey someone dropped this.

 

Postcard - a panorama of miyagi from the ferris wheel. Yahaba inspects the back, in small nondescript handwriting.

  
“I can see it.”

 

Yahaba almost misses it, stuffs the postcard behind his rounds papers, then takes it out again. Eyes glancing at the hospital tucked in the lower right corner. He can almost hear Kyoutani's voice.

 

_“I can see it.”_

 

Yahaba is awash with sensation.

goosebumps.

 

**CUT TO EXTERIOR - HOSPITAL**

Iwaizumi: what the heck are you doing.

Oikawa is making a series of faces at sugawara.

 

Oikawa: ..it’s really difficult to differentiate since both ken-chan and iwa-chan do this.

Oikawa pulls on a mean face

Sugawara: u huh

Oikawa: but if the brows lower here

He brings fingers to his forehead.

Oikawa: It’s only a little different, but that’s definitely iwa- han

Sugawara: i see.

Oiakwa: and-

 

Iwaizumi: i asked what are you doing.

Sugawara: we’re taking notes on your talent, make sure everything is documented.

Oikawa: Next time we'll find someone less mean, make it easier to differentiate.

Sugawara: uh huh

Oikawa: and get iwa-chan some training so he doesn’t have to ball like a baby

Iwaizumi : _hey._

Oikawa: Iwa-chan. We’ll get back to you, okay?

Oikawa: But we have other pick-ups to do

Iwaizumi: oh,

Sugawara: he meant thank you. Oh, this should make it easier to contact us.

Sugawara hands iwaizumi oikawa’s business card with a cellphone number. So a shinagami with a physical body and is capable of normal texting-

 

Oikawa: Well, i enjoyed our date too! So do call me.

He _winks._

The two zip off in their motorcyle that careens upwards into the sky.

 

Iwaizumi blinks with the night's events.

Iwaizumi: wait. that was a date?!


	3. CASE 3: LEV HAIBA or TRAINING with KUROO TETSUROU

**CASE 3: LEV HAIBA or TRAINING with KUROO TETSUROU**

 

**SUNDOWN - MIYAGI CHILDREN’S PARK**

Iwaizumi didn't think it would happen so soon but two days after, he gets a text for training, at this park, specifically at dusk. Iwaizumi is introduced to KUROO TETSUROU, a half-there person with the aura of either black panther or alley cat, with bedhead hair and a cheeky grin. He’s crouched over a fence and Oikawa and Sugawara are standing around like parents arranging a playdate.

 

Sugawara: Just so you know,

Sugawara: he’s not dead ok.

Sugawara: He’s injured in a hospital bed, “astral projecting”

Oikawa: pretty hard to find someone stronger than iwa-chan but-

 

Iwaizumi feels Kuroo lunge into him like he was walking through a door, the world doesn’t turn, the colors are the same, Oikawa and Sugawara aren’t glowing unnecessarily- ( so kuroo _is_ alive) Iwaizumi think to himself - but for some reason Iwaizumi zips open the fly of his own jeans.

 

Iwaizumi: _((what the actual fuck???))_

Kuroo cackles.

Sugawara: um, Kuroo has other strengths.

Kuroo makes for Iwaizumi’s pants but the shared hands don’t budge an inch. Iwaizumi’s face is twisted in effort.

 

Oikawa: go Iwa-chan!

Iwaizumi huffs  and is bent over his knees.

Iwaizumi: I didn't sign up for _possession-_

 

Oikawa: this will be good for you, tetsu! you should really have gone for the shirt.

Iwaizumi feels Kuroo tussle in his body for control. ugh-

 

Sugawara: catch!

Sugawara throws a single baseball at iwaizumi.

Sugawara: Do target practice, rather than strip tease. We’ve got a pickup nearby so ...

Sugawara: be good now Kuroo.

Kuroo smiles uncharacteristically wide on Iwaizumi’s gruff features.

 

Kuroo: But I’m always nice.

Even the voice is off, Oikawa laughs and snaps a picture at Iwaizumi's really wierd smile.

 

Iwaizumi: _(( oh shit.))_

 

**CUT TO NIGHT - OPEN PARK**

A giant target cloth hung at one side, concentric circles with descending numbers, 100 being bull’s eye. Iwaizumi takes aim at the 100 bull’s eye mark. Kuroo focuses on everywhere else. Iwaizumi’s body stutters, graceless in it’s movements like pushing through a nonfungible weight. Their collective grit grind the ball into a

 

90

 

100

 

90

 

Kuroo: _((damn. Wow. okay you are strong.))_

Kuroo: _((please miss))_

 

70

 

Iwaizumi: .., you’re good too.

 

Iwaizumi nods in mutual acknowledgement, he let’s Kuroo talk through his mouth rather than his head, feels more respectful that way.  Iwaizumi’s backswing stutters again, but Iwaizumi gets a grip on the ends of his presence and pushes it into occupying his hand.

 

90 strong.

 

Iwaizumi: So you’re alive right?

Kuroo: Yup

Iwaizumi: And Oikawa and Suga-san-

Kuroo: Technically second life as shinagami

 

80

 

Kuroo: They’re just as alive as you and me, but have access to heaven cause of their jobs.

Iwaizumi: Right. So a new ‘identity’ in the second life?

Kuroo: A new body, at least for Suga.

 

90

 

Kuroo: Oikawa’s been dead and doing this stint for too long. I honestly don’t know why he doesn’t just accept the promotion

Iwaizumi: Uhh

 

70

 

Kuroo continues, gossiping, 

Kuroo: Let’s just say he deserves _eternal paradise_ with all the good karma he’s racked up-

 

50

60

 

Kuroo twists in Iwaizumi, wholly concerned

Kuroo: Hey you okay?

Iwaizumi: Yeah.

100

100.

  1. sound



 

Kuroo: Ohoo. Why are you working so hard to impress _Oikawa_

 

Kuroo teases, and the kind that crawls into every literal nerve of your body. 

-5000. Ball is totally off bounds and lost to the far corner of the park.

 

Kuroo feels the head to toe embarrassment from the original body owner, and does a quick huh?.

Kuroo runs off to fetch the ball anyway with the suddenly reluctant and heavy body.

 

...

 

Kuroo: ah, Don’t worry I’m in the same boat. You know I like someone beyond the border too

Iwaizumi: (( i didn-t say-))

Kuroo: talking in our head now!

Iwaizumi reclaims his body to snap back and rip out on the target.

 

 _100_ resounding. Best throw yet.

 

Iwaizumi: You’re such a sap, Kuroo-san.

Kuroo: (((*endless cackling. Ahahahoahaha-)))

 

Kuroo: Okay, okay. i _just knew i_ was gonna like you

Kuroo: BUT , AHAHAOO HA

 

**CUT TO THICK BRAMBLE BUSH**

Lev stumbles through the plant and into their target practice with Oikawa and Sugawara chasing him as the pre-mentioned pick-up. Kuroo jumps out as an embodied floating spirit and stares at Iwaizumi, jeering like waiting for a lovey dovey reaction. Iwaizumi flashes him his middle finger, and feels his body lighten, feeling less crowded. Kuroo had a talent for sure.

 

LEV HAIBA is 12 years old, a literal bean pole, half russian with grey hair and this face breaking grin hears that Iwaizumi could be possessed - and can pitch, and lev's half-there form is shivering? With tiny sparks of excitement, a sweet fragrance about him. 

 

Sugawara: lev here died being on the bench of his team.

Lev: I WANT TO BE AN ACE PITCHER!

Kuroo: _perfect!_ I’m you’re team captain and catcher.

Kuroo jabs two fingers at Oikawa and Sugawara's direction.

Kuroo: *sinister. We’re going against _them._

Oikawa: *haughtily. you looking for a fight Tetsu?

 

Oikawa and Kuroo grin like they’ve already done this before.

 

 **CUT TO** Kuroo’s team huddles, arm over arm, or at least a half-there Kuroo arm, then ghost Lev ducking to slip into a shorter Iwaizumi. The world kilters, but Iwaizumi is getting great at this, and he feels very much in control. Lev has more genuine ball of excitement through his toes than any regret, his eyes feel like searchlights looking up to Kuroo.

 

Kuroo babbles about baseball strategy, seems to be knowledgeable about it, enthusiastic even. He’s swapping hand signs with Lev, trying to look for him in Iwaizumi’s steel green eyes.

 

Kuroo: did you get all that lev?

Lev: _((-uh-?))_

Iwaizumi: well i did. Goddamnit Lev stop jumping around

Kuroo: iwaizumi, You sound like an old man.

Kuroo: You there lev, this is all for you- look at me I’m a strong enough spirit to grasp a catching mitt, now trust your infallible captain.

 

Iwaizumi feels lev’s head nod in excitement.

 

 

Iwaizumi: this is gonna be a long night.

 

**CUT TO BASEBALL PARK**

Oikawa clapping his hands to get the respective teams in their places.

Now ace pitcher of the night Lev makes his way to the center diamond. Oikawa and Sugawara line up just outside the batting box. Kuroo crouches like a beetle on the base plate.

 

Sugawara: *announcer voice. One inning match: three outs lev team wins, one point Oikawa team wins.

 

Oikawa: Oi i know you’re a lost soul but i ain’t gonna go easy on you if that’s what you think.

Oikawa crouches into the batting position

Oikawa: I'm a pretty good athlete if I do-

 

Iwaizumi-lev throws a solid and mean pitch, it smacks on the mitt, like a tight bullet.

 

Kuroo: strike one

Oikawa face- _sputters_.

 

Another pitch, like a missile, Oikawa manages to swing, but still misses.

Kuroo: Strike two

Kuroo is suddenly chirpy.

Kuroo:  Ooh! forgot to mention bara arms over there used to be an ace pitcher in middle school.

Oiakwa: Ughh 

Oikawa whines loud enough to be heard by everybody, and shoots a mean glare at kuroo.

Oikawa: TETSUU- STOP FLIRTING. WITH ME!

Iwaizumi's pitch stutters, distracted.

It's a weak throw.

Oikawa still misses the ball, but is surprised the distraction even worked.

Iwaizumi ducks his face under his baseball cap.

Oikawa can't read his expression.

 

Kuroo: uh, strike three you’re out.

Kuroo shifts the weight on his knees trying to peer closely at Oikawa's face.

Kuroo: wow, In what world,  am I attracted to you oikawa-san?

Oikawa:  Ugh, fuck off tetsu.

 

**CUT TO**

Suga batters up.

Kuroo: You’re boss is petty.

Iwaizumi pitches, suga swings and misses.

Kuroo: strike one.

Sugawara: He’s you’re boss too.

Iwaizumi pitches, suga swings and misses.

Kuroo: I know. strike two. 

Oikawa: SUGAA-CHAN are you even-

Iwaizumi pitches, suga swings and misses.

Kuroo: Strike three, you’re out

 

Sugawara clearly overacts for the lost soul.

Sugawara: DAMN IT LEV!

 

Lev perks up and feels like heaven inside Iwa. Iwaizumi cracks into an uncharacteristically cheshire like smile. Iwaizumi cannot contain this childlike excitement it's making his heart pump and put a spring to his feet.  Kuroo pumps his fists in the air.

Kuroo: TWO OUTS!! JUST ONE MORE ACE!!

 

 **CUT TO** Oikawa batters up, folds sleeves with an intense focus until

 

Kuroo whistles, like a cat call.

Kuroo: You know i wouldn’t be surprised if all the girls in his middle school used to have crushes on him..

Oikawa has a Weak ass swing.

 

Kuroo snickers, in a sing song dream voice croons. 

Kuroo:  You know has the kind of face that barely cracks a smile. But you kind of want to make him smile more..

Oikawa misses again, snaps at kuroo with livid intensity.

Oikawa: I don't know what you're _getting at_ tetsu, but say one more word and i’ll cut your paycheck-

Kuroo: You can’t actually do that.

Oikawa: I hate you.

Oikawa points at him with the bat.

Kuroo: You love me.

 

Iwaizumi: Hey! Umm we still playing?

Kuroo: YES!

Oikawa: y-yES! *simultaneously.

Sugawara is cheering for both sides with a makeshift flag from his bag.

 

 **CUT TO** Iwaizumi holding the mitt and ball to his face muttering breathing deeply to himself. Iwaizumi feels like he's jumping off a cliff.

Iwaizumi: Alright lev. This is the winning ball.

His eyes scan at Kuroo's hand signal then at Oikawa. Iwaizumi muscles return to route memory, makes for the pitch but Lev hijacks him the full force of his will and it’s like iwaizumi arms are longer, lankier, too passionate for what to iwaizumi is just a casual game.

It’s a seriously bad pitch, OIkawa hits it and tries to run.

 

Lev is screaming doing somersaults, in Iwaizumi's brain, his liver, probably his pancreas.

 

The ball does an easy arc in the sky.

A pop-fly, easy to catch.  

 

Iwaizumi: Get it lev! Get it!! -The winning ball.

Oikawa makes for the run for a few steps but stops himself to suddenly rooted in place. Watching a dying wish come true.

Kuroo:You know you don't really need him to do your job

 

Iwaizumi runs to the ball with outstretched arms, feels his whole life about him grasp at the seams, the air, for one measly useless ball.

Said ball gives the most satisfying sound on the brown mitt.

Iwaizumi hands pound into his chest.

Two souls sing with victory in their grasp.

 

Oikawa: i’m abusing his innate kindness.

Kuroo: Hmm.

Oikawa: i think he's having fun.

 

Lev shoots out of Iwaizumi in glowing triumph, taunting Oikawa with his butt and thanking Sugawara. Says he’s so pumped that he swears he can run circles around the motorcycle when it’s crawling up the sky.

 

Kuroo: Could he do that Suga-san??

Lev: Kuroo-sempai you’re the best coach and-

 

 **FADE TO** Oikawa approaches Iwaizumi hesitantly.

Oikawa: Hey. umm, i’m just gonna check-

Oikawa hovers his hand over Iwaizumi’s head, it’s edges shaking, but powers reeled in.

 

Iwaizumi cheeks hurt from lev's six foot smile but he regains his mouth, and some form of speech.

Iwaizumi: ah-oh, Ok.

 

Oikawa scans Iwaizumi’s aura, traces of lev’s happiness a sunny yellow leaking like adrenaline to ends of iwaizumi’s hair and fingertips, Iwaizumi’s own presence is blue and calm, steady and understanding. He doesn’t flinch when Oikawa turns up his powers to ground the rest of the dead souls energy. Oikawa's hand pulls out.

 

Oikawa: You seem to be alright.

Oikawa: You didn’t half ass your job Tetsu

Kuroo yells from afar.

Kuroo: Ofcourse i didn’t!!

 

Lev is jogging in place.

Oikawa: let’s get going shinigami-san!

Oikawa's face is sour but amused.

Oikawa: smug winner aren’t you.

 

They assemble themselves on the white motorcycle.

Kuroo pipes up.

Kuroo: we should hang out more together!

Kuroo locks his elbow around Iwaizumi

Oikawa: uhhhhh

Sugawara: Definitely!

Sugawara: Thankyou kuroo-san, iwaizumi-san.  

Sugawara gives a small nod, starts the engine and sets off to the stars.

 

Iwaizumi throws Kuroo's arm off of him.


	4. CASE 4: AKAASHI KEIJI SENSEI

**VO** Iwaizumi Hajime, thought his life would be more profound since working part time for a soul agency.

 

 **CUT TO** hands slams at a phone alarm

 **CUT TO** key turning on a lock

 **CUT TO** Iwaizumi staring out a window during homeroom class

 

 **VO** But dead people are remarkably not too different from normal people

 

 **CUT TO NONDESCRIPT APARTMENT - CASE XX:** MATSUWAKA ISSEI, 28 year old, run of the mill office worker needs his porn stash burnt hidden under the second left-most-

Iwaizumi: oikawa, what the _hell. why_ did you call me for this one??!

 **CUT TO SCHOOL PLAYGROUND - CASE YY:** Wide doe eyes from a HINATA SHOYOU, 7 year old and literal ball of tangerine. Sugawara looks like a kindergarten teacher, pulling at the flaily small arms. He's bowing apologetically.

Sugawara:  He wants to play with the snow..

Iwaizumi nurses his temple.

Iwaizumi: kuroo, if you throw one snowball at me i swear-

 

 **CUT TO** **WINTER - STREETVIEW MIYAGI - APARTMENT COMPLEX**

Iwaizumi jogs up the lonely stairs, ducking smaller into his thin sports jacket, paled hands palming his pockets for his keys. A white puff accents his cursing.

Iwaizumi: fucking -

 

He tries the door, it’s actually unlocked.

Iwaizumi: ...

 

The temptation of a blissfully warm room was too much and he squashes the building panic in his gut- **PAN TO APARTMENT INTERIOR** Iwaizumi briefly registers the shoes lined up in his entryway before straying  into the smell of food and the cozy warmth from his combined living room- full of perpetrators:

 

 **VO** Iwaizumi’s problem these days, are mostly these people.

 

Oikawa and Kuroo are posing, what? Glamorously on his newly set kotatsu. Sugawara has his hands on a stove top with what smells like a delicious meal.

 

Oikawa: OKAERI-NASAAI!!-- _welcome hom_ e’ they yell in unison hands up, and what’s dumb is they seem genuinely happy to see him, like it’s a surprise party.

 

Iwaizumi schools his face to maintain it’s usual gruff expression as the picture sinks into his mind. It’s not even his birthday? He turns away to deposit his things in his room.

 

Iwaizumi: crappykawa. did you bring those muddy shoes in my apartment..

 

Oikawa yelps and elbows him into a space in the warm kotatsu.

 

Oikawa: You were supposed to say tadaima! Iwaa

He explains this like Iwaizumi didn’t know basic japanese.

Iwaizumi: who stole my damn keys?!

The two continue to bicker in the background while Kuroo smoothly hides his face behind pages of a magazine.

Suga glides in with a pot of steaming food.

Suga: Iwaizumi, it’s nice to come home to a warm apartment right?? the food’s ready.

Suga seats himself on the table, with self-effacing eyes, that reads both apology and bribe.

 

Iwaizumi releases Oikawa.

Iwaizumi: i give up, what do you guys wants from me

Sugawara: Akaashi-san-

A transparent limb eases out of iIaizumi’s curtain. AKAASHI KEIJI, 23 years old, Iwaizumi's previous highschool teacher. In school, they called him a no nonsense beauty, narrow shoulders, more haunting with the ghost complexion, downright cold to all his students except one..

 

Akaashi: sorry for the intrusion..

Oikawa: so polite~

Iwaizumi: sensei!! I-is dead?

Iwaizumi drops to bow at the floor.

Iwaizumi: shit i didn’t know you passed away

Akaashi: It’s oka-

Iwaizumi: i’m sorry, so sorry

Iwaizumi: i will do anything to help, may I ask why haven’t you passed?

 

Kuroo whispers to Suga.

Kuroo: i told you.

Suga: thanks.

 

Akaashi: uhh,

All eyes turn tothe ghost.

Akaashi: bokuto-san didn’t attend my funeral..

Sugawara: ...

Kuroo: …

Oikawa: ….

 

Iwaizumi: _aah._

 

Akaashisnaps gracelessly at him

Akaashi:What does that mean ah?? What did bokuto tell you??

 

**CUT TO DAY - MIYAGI HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM**

A living Akaashi-sensei in a neat suit writes neat kanji across the board then raps at the board.

Akaashi: class, turn your page to -

 

Bokuto: he’s cute. adorable.

 

BOKUTO KOUTAROU, 17 year old, giddy classmate of IWAIZUMI HAJIME, breaks into the dorkiest smile like he had the best ice cream of his life. White hair, though as big as a bear, he gawks at sensei like a bunny with a rhythm in his feet.

 

Bokuto: HEY HEY HEY IWAIZUMI!

Iwaizumi: uhh.

Bokuto: what’s with the face?

Iwaizumi: never heard anyone call akaashi-sensei, uhh. 'cute' before.

 

**CUT TO DAY - IWAIZUMI’S APARTMENT**

Akaashi: As you probably know , bokuto-san was a ronin (or a highschool grad who failed to enter college and is studying for the entrance exams again.)

Akaashi: Once in a while, I would help him study for the entrance exams.

Akaashi: Once a week at the library, that’s all.

Pregnant pause.

Akaashi: With entrance exams coming up, I'm worried and wanted to check up on him but I don't know his address.

 

Iwaizumi dumbly, rudely.

Iwaizumi: You don’t know  _his_ address?

Akaashi: i wouldn't stalk him.

iwaizumi: *jabs at his phone

 

**CUT TO DAY - BOKUTO’S APARTMENT COMPLEX**

The weather is erratic and the sun is out, the snow is melting and maybe even cold hearts would thaw. The group huddles around more for gossip than to be helpful. Kuroo seems to be loose acquaintances with oh- _that_ -bokuto! from somewhere, and Oikawa seems to be drowning himself in reading case files again. Sugawara is the only normal one, holding light conversation with the ghost.

 

Iwaizumi: I’ll be going up now, meet-up with Bokuto again..

Akaashi: how nice..

 

Sugawara: then why don't you try it!

Suga shoves Akaashi in Iwaizumi’s direction.

Oikawa: OI suga-

Akaashi presence seeps into Iwazumi’s every cell, like a shock of ice cool water. It settles quickly like a thin layer at the bottom of the basin, a deep blue, shy. The colors in iwaizumi’s vision flip, everything a shaking white. He blinks twice to reorient himself, the feelings from sensei rather than the, was the one more difficult part to get used to. It was cold, the isolated kind, when the blood retreats from your fingers in the moment of panic.

 

Iwaizumi: you nervous about this sensei ?

Kuroo: Don’t be!!

Kuroo slaps at Iwaizumi’s back, in no time they appear in front of Bokuto's apartment.

 

Kuroo: HEYA BO!! Open up!

He knocks on the door. A garbled voice answers.

Bokuto: whoisit?

Kuroo: the delivery man of love.

Iwaizumi: just. don’t, kuroo you’re making sensei more nervous

 

The door opens to a topless Bokuto with a towel around his waist (... _is he wet from a shower? he still looks really grea...t_ ) in boxers and a tired complexion.

Iwaizumi tries to hold reins but his arm shoots out to the door and slams it to Bokuto's face.

 

Iwaizumi: _((SENSEI.we’re all guys.PLEASE, you can't be this obvi-))_

Akaashi: _(( I- I wasn’t ready!!))_

Iwaizumi: sensei.

Kuroo opens the door anyway.

Kuroo:  BRO! YOU LOOK TERRIBLE!

Bokuto: *cough. BROogh,*cough you too. get in here hah!

Bokuto glances weakly at the other.

Bokuto: heya, iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi: hey.

Iwaizumi feels Akaashi go on a full body flush, heart racing, like his ribs were clamping down his lungs.

Iwaizumi: _(why did all of you have to be in love.)_

Kuroo grabs iwaizumi-akaashi’s wrist and drags them inside.

 

 

 **CUT TO INTERIOR** Bokuto’s place is a mess, and the owner himself, stumbles quite theatrically on his own stuff.

Bokuto: ha-

Thump. And passes out on the floor.

Iwaizumi: kuroo-

Kuroo: iwaizumi-

Iwaizumi: shit.

 

**CUT TO BEDROOM**

 

A wash basin ,fresh towels, Bokuto in a futon and a damp towel on his forehead, Iwaizumi and Kuroo on either side of the bed. The decidedly very sick host is mumbling.

 

Bokuto: I was gonna change out of my sweat clothes..

 

Akaashi: _(does he need to see a doctor?)_

Akaashi: _( Does he have medicine?)_

 

Bokuto: ..I thought i could manage the cold by myself..

 

Akaashi: _(Can he eat? Does he have nausea?)_

Iwaizumi: _(---Okay i can hear you)_

Iwaizumi's face twists into a frown. Kuroo squints at him.

 

Kuroo: Bo, have you been taking medicine?

Bokuto: I know there's some in the kitchen .. cough medicine i think. I bought it cause it looked pretty tasty.

 

Iwaizumi: _(--sensei calm down)_

Akaashi: _(you can’t treat a cold lightly.)_

 

 

 

**CUT TO- INTERIOR - LIBRARY**

Bokuto and Akaashi squared off in a corner table each working on their own sheafs of homework and exercises. Answering and checking.

 

Bokuto: Sensei, your face is red!

Bokuto unceremeniously shoots out a hand to pat it.

Akaashi: yaa! *drops pen

Bokuto stops himself from laughing with a finger on his lips.

Bokuto: Shhhhh sensei! it's a library.

Bokuto: Do you have a cold?

Akaashi reprimands in a stone whisper.

Akaashi: No I don't, and don’t surprise me like that.

Akaashi: and _your_ hand is too cold!! that's the only reason my forehead would feel hot.

 

Bokuto: Hahaa, actually I have poor blood circulation.

Bokuto: Even when I was taking tests.

Bokuto: my hands got so numb with cold that I could barely write.

Bokuto: Which did _not_ help when I was cruched for time

 **ZOOM TO** Akaashi's small change of expression, a pout.

Akaashi rustles through a messenger bag

Akaashi: Here, use this.

 

 **FREEZE FRAME TO** Akaashi handing a body warmer packet

 

Bokuto: Oh!

Bokuto: **But really i was thinking you could warm up my hands with yours**

 **JUMPCUT** Akaashi slaps him with a notebook

Bokuto: owww!

Akaashi's cold facade is cracking, embarrassed and entertained.

 

Akaashi: A body warmer pack is much more effective.

Bokuto: that wasn’t really the point

Bokuto nuzzles face and hands into pack anyway, and smiles like a gaddamn puppy. He says it like honey.

 

Bokuto: Thanks though!

Bokuto: I’ll definitely use it.

**CUE SUN, CUE MELTING SNOW**

 

**CUT TO APARTMENT**

 

Bokuto: KUROOH! I gotta pee, take me to the toilet.

Bokuto grabs at Kuroo.

Kuroo's eyes light with mischeif.

Kuroo: Oh Bo! I think Iwaizumi here got you already..

 

Iwaizumi glares.

Kuroo winks.

 

Akaashi: _(UHM)_

Iwaizumi: Tch, fiine, but this is a one-way trip.

 

Bokuto: Eh?

 

Bokuto’s large limp body is draped across Iwaizumi’s back, and though Iwaizumi expected it, it still surprised him, the nervousness that sprang like a well from his chest. The hyperawareness of each contact of bare skin. Bokuto is dragging his feet on the floor, but he still gives the warmest hugs. Akaashi thought of that before,  except for the fever, he looks like the kind of person who would give the warmest hugs.

 

Bokuto: Oh yeah... about the ice…

Iwaiazumi: it’s gonna take a while

 

Iwaizumi successfully deposits Bokuto in the bathroom.

 

Bokuto: no listen, I’ve got money in the fridge

Bokuto: go out and buy some ice with it

Bokuto slips into the bathroom. Iwaizumi yells to be heard through the door.

 

Iwaizumi: WHO KEEPS MONEY IN THE REFRIGERATOR???

Bokuto: HAHA! I KNOW, IT'S FAMILY CUSTOM.

Bokuto: STUFF WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE

 

Iwaizumi walks **OUT OF FRAME.**

Bokuto: STUFF THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US..

 

 **DOLLY TRACK** Iwaizumi to kitchen to fridge door.

Bokuto: IT ALL GOES IN THE FRIDGE

 

Mutters.

Iwaizumi:Yeah then where the heck does the food go?

 

**HORIZONTAL PAN TO REFRIGIRATOR CONTENTS.**

A few food items>> bokuto’s leather wallet >>>> the very same heat pad Akaashi gave.

 

 **VO (akaashi)**   _Stuff we can’t afford to lose_

Iwaizumi feels frozen in place.

 

 **FADE** background noise to quiet. 

 

Bokuto exits the bathroom

 

Bokuto: Oi iwaizumi, did you know that Akaashi sensei passed away?

FRAME Iwaizumi jaws tighten.

 

Bokuto: he helped me study for the longest time

Boktuo: Not that **my** motivations were the purest..

Bokuto:..but when we were together..I don’t know how to put it… i wanted to take care of him..

Bokuto ..jeez.

Bokuto repositions himself back on the futon in the most solemn manner almost uncharacteristic of him. Kuroo is busy fishing things out of the piles of clutter looking for medicine barely visible in frame. Bokuto's voice shrinks. **FRAME CUTS INTO BOKUTO'S EYES.**

 

Bokuto: I didn’t want to believe that he.  i was already dejected

Bokuto: .. i couldn't go to his funeral or anything. I just,

Bokuto: And actually , right now.

 

Bokuto: I can’t care less what happens with  entrance exams

 

Iwaizumi feels Akaashi completely shut down inside of him. Like a black pit, a vortex, and confused undirected rage.

 

Iwaizumi: _((*quickly.Sensei, what’s wrong?))_

Iwaizumi: ( _(sensei-)_

Akaashi: _((So he’s planning to just fail the tests, **IS THAT IT**?? )) _

 

**CUT TO SCHOOL GROUNDS - A HAZE OF MEMORY**

 

Akaashi with the most icy tone.

Akaashi: You’re Bokuto-san , aren't you ? third year, group four?

Bokuto is smoking lazily on a garden bench.

Akaashi: Umm Akaashi sensei, right ?

Akaashi folds his arms across his chest.

 

Akaashi: That's brave of you.. Sitting there smoking with your school uniform on

Bokuto: Oh! right.

Bokuto tugs his necktie off and ties it with a knot around his head. then waves his arms like tadah! upon finishing

 

Bokuto: Now everyone will think I’m just a laid off salary man, with a hangover!

 

Akaashi breaks pose. Snorts, the embarrassing kind that's weirdly both ugly and cute, and from his professor of all people.

 

Bokuto: _(For some reason..._

Akaashi: Affft

Akaashi blushes fiercely away, coughs, with the nicest crinkle of eyes.

 

Bokuto: _(..his laugh, his eyes, it struck me...)_

Akaashi: doesn't convince me, don't do it again.

Bokuto: BUT Senseiii ???

 

**CUT TO APARTMENT - DREAM STATE**

**WASH WHITE COLORS**

**JUMPCUT**

*BAMMM. THICK ASS KANJI DRILL BOOK TO BOKUTO’S FACE

**LENS REFOCUS**

 

Akaashi: What are you acting all dejected for?!

Akaashi is looking down on Bokuto, weirdly hyper visible, glowy

Bokuto:KEIJI_SA!!

Akaashi SMACKS kanji book again.

Akaashi: WHO told you you could call me by my name?

Akaashi: I’m certainly not going to give that liberty to someone I tutored for one year

Akaashi: only to to have him take everything i worked with and throw it down the drain .

Akaashi cold facade weakens.

Akaashi: *begs.

Akaashi: **Wake up**.

Akaashi brings the heels of his hands to his face, hiding his own tears.

 

Bokuto lifts himself on the crook of one arm, eyes blown wide and tender drinking in an Akaashi beside him. Bokuto hovers a hand over the other’s face. Akaashi cuts in.

 

Akaashi: Why did you go to the library for every week, for a  year??

It sounds like an accusation.

 

Bokuto: … to meet you, sensei.

Akaashi: You’re saying when I died…

Akaashi: You stopped caring about the entrance exams? You stopped caring about going to college?

Bokuto has a dumbed face.

Akaashi: every single weekend, do you know how much trouble you put me through?

Akaashi: You cant be serious!

Bokuto has the saddest but sweetest smile. thinks Keiji isn't mincing his words today, what a nice voice

 

His palm hovers closer.

 

Akaashi: _(but those study session were my idea, i wanted to see him so much too…)_

Tears streak akaashi’s face, he finally leans into Bokuto’s hovering hand. Akaashi weakly-

Akaashi: Please _Bokuto_ I-

 

Bokuto: ok, ok. i’m sorry sensei.

Bokuto: You’re right .

Bokuto sits up quietly, leans closer. His voice is small.

Bokuto: But i need you to scold me harder sensei..

Bokuto cradles Akaashi face in the heel of his cool palm, so close his breath is felt through the skin.

Akaashi's eyes close, the pads of bokuto's fingers tracing small circles on wet cheeks

 

 

Bokuto: I love you Keiji, you know that?

Bokuto: I just need you to stay, so you could..

His palm lifts Keiji's chin. He moves in for a kiss.

 

**HARSH CUT**

RINGINGINRINRGINRIGNRINGIRNGIRNIRNGIRNG

 

Bokuto: *mutters--wake me up…

 

**CUT TO**

Bokuto cradling Iwaizumi’s dead pan why-the-fuck-am-i-in-this face. Thick aired romance killed like an airgun through a deflated inflated balloon.

 

 

Iwaizumi: YOU. ARE. NOW UP. NOw would you let go of me so i could turn of the alarm clock??

Bokuto: Ahh! Sorry .. was i talking in my sleep ??

Iwaizumi clumsily slams the clock off, body shaking, a bit angry.

 

Kuroo: Damn right bro!! are you feeling better?

Bokuto flashes a thumbs up.

Iwaizumi bores holes at his classmates brightened face. Heaves a sigh of relief.

 

Kuroo: Great!

 

**CUT TO PAN**

Iwaizumi and Kuroo making their leave of Bokuto's apartment. Garbled goodbyes. 

Bokuto: Oi Iwa. Y'know… 

Bokuto scratches the back of his neck.

Bokuto:I think I’ll really try and pass those exams after all.

Iwaizumi: Oh yeah ?

Iwaizumi was smiling then nauseated. Both Kuroo and Bokuto are puzzled.

Iwaizumi whispers to kuroo.

Iwaizumi: cover for me-

Then makes a run for the stairs.

 

Kuroo: well, goodluck!

 

 

**CUT TO APARTMENT HALLWAY**

Iwaizumi drops to the floor, and Akaashi straight up collapses inside of him, breaking into cold sweat, white vision ramping intensity, ten-fold scorching his ireses. Shallow , constricting breaths. The weight of a dammed river released that doesn’t want to let go but already too far gone, helpless, with unstopping tears. Oikawa who was standing guard at the stairwell nearest the apartmentm sinks down and braces Iwaizumi into a wall.

 

Oikawa says softly into the shell of his ear.

Oikawa: Keiji. Akaashi _Keiji_

 

Iwaizumi doesn’t want to put it that way, but it sounded, smelled and tasted like _death_ . Like _oikawa,_ like his name meaning end, a culmination, something stupidly finishing, Grand. And that it wasn’t all bad, not when his lips were as soft as that, could make a sound that could coo and sing like that.

 

Oikawa: Akaashi  _Keiji._

Iwaizumi groans.

Oikawa: look at me.

 

Oikawa tilts , the crying head to the side, catches Iwaizumi’s eyes, and dials up his presence that’s suffocatingly warm and self-assured and knowing. As if it could crowd out all of Akaashi’s pain and wallowing sadness, with a clamping force, it does exactly that. Iwaizumi can feel Akaashi’s heart stuttering when Oikawa places both his palms on Iwaizumi’s back, then gathers Akaashi up like a mussed blanket, like a tight embrace. Iwaizumi is winded, still feels the full force of last minute regret like re-death and so forcefully emptied -----What really bothers Iwaizumi, is how naturally Oikawa fits into the crook of his neck, how that whiny oikawa could turn into an inhumanly beautiful voice- as if the sound can gain tactile senses, and words can be tasted, like a cozy sweater. Was that sensei feeling that, with death or was it?..

 

Iwaizumi is gripped with a racking cough to his chest.

Oikawa stands up, brushes off his pants then lightly hold's up Akaashi’s ghost.  Sugawara looks both worried and impressed, frozen in the background.

 

Sugawara:boss..

Oikawa stroking akaashi's arm comfortingly.

Oikawa: Akaashi, you did great.

Akaashi: I d-didnt get to tell him-

Oikawa: trust me, he knows.

Akaashi: how-

Oikawa: you literally had seeing him as your dying wish.

Oikawa: he loves you too. you can pass on now.

Akaashi gives a minute smile, and nods.

 

Iwaizumi passes out with a loud thud on the floor.

 

**CUT TO NIGHT -IWAIZUMI’S APARTMENT**

Iwaizumi a familiar picture of sick, tucked in a futon, with just-caught-Bokuto’s-cough. Sugawara is again cooking up miso soup, And Oikawa is filling in aura reports on Akaashi’s case beside the futon, he's impatiently tapping his pen. Kuroo flips through his phone nearby.

 

Iwaizumi: this is your fault you little. shit

Oikawa: what?! Suga-chan and Testu talked you into this case, not me. I was quite evidently reluctant about it! 

 

 

Iwaizumi: _You warm me up then._

Iwaizumi smirks and opens up his futon blanket with come hither eyes.

 

Kuroo throws a leg in between them

Kuroo: IWAIZUMI. YOU’RE DEFINITELY REALLY SUPER SICK

Oikawa is frozen. But Iwaizumi and Oikawa simultaneously snicker.

Kuroo: SUGA!! PLEASE

Kuroo: I NEED YOU


	5. INTERLUDE: a “SAWAMURA DAICHI”

**SWELTERING SUMMER HEAT - MIYAGI - APARTMENT**

Iwaizumi Hajime peels his body off the disgusting wet bedsheet. He’s naked, sweaty and heavy and he does not feel like starting the day at 10AM in the morning, not when it’s 42 degrees outside and he could just stay in bed with his pounding headache and really dry throat. .

 

Oikawa: IWAAA-CHAN WHY IS YOUR APARTMENT SO HOT

A whine through the walls

Oikawa: buy me popsicles would youu? *audible pouting

Iwaizumi blinks his eyes open.

Oikawa Tooru with mussed hair, and in a treacherously thin damp shirt is towering over his morning bed, with arms akimbo, and stray bobby pins sitting on the shells of his ears, a completely nerve wracking and disarming image.

 

Iwaizumi had problems with this particular situation:

  1. Why is (a strangely eortic looking) oikawa in his bedroom.
  2. Why did it have the balls to whine about his place.
  3. And YOU ACTUALLY THINK I’D BUY YOU SHIT SHITTYKAWA!!????



 

Iwaizumi: *grumbles, punctuates anger by whipping a pillow at oikawa’s face.

Iwaizumi: you crash in my apartment, and the first thing you do is _BITCH_ ABOUT IT?!

Oikawa: ow- hey!

 

Iwaizumi storms off from the room.

Iwaizumi: remind me why you’re here again.

Oikawa: *follows. i swear nothing goes through your thick head.

Oikawa: Pickup, so many damn pickups in the local hospital,.

Iwaizumi: really. * Eyes suspiciously at oikawa before making eye contact with Suga hovering around the dining area.

Suga: *raises shoulders. It’s true..

Iwaizumi: you've said the same thing for the past weeks...are you even sleeping? You have a physical body right? *pinches oikawa’s skin

Oikawa: *slaps it away,  I just look tired cause you’re a BUM IWA-CHAN.

Oikawa: *kneads arm.  The least you could do is buy us popsicles, since your apartment is clearly of inferior-

Iwaizumi: *feels  a vein pop on the temple.   why you-

 

**CUT TO**

Suga: I heated brunch for you!

Iwaizumi: *tone change.  You’re a blessing suga, really

Suga: thankyou iwaizumi, you’re always so hospitable to the inconvenient arrangements

Oikawa: *bites hard on own lips. im SERIOUS about the popsicles guys, i want  milkbread too!

Oikawa: *takes out wallet and parks himself in front of the adhoc laptop office landscape on iwaizumi dining table, waves a couple of bill around.

Oikawa: Buy for everyone, kuroo should be swinging over in a few minutes.

Oikawa: *Grabs a tiny pink tabletop fan, repositions it in front of an overheating laptop

Iwaizumi: *stares. its 42 degrees outside.

Oikawa: can you do this paperwork?*palms to screen. you can’t.

Suga: janken, cmon let’s buy an obscene amount of icecream with that yen.

 

Suga loses and heads out

 

Iwaizumi left with a whiny oikawa, who’s distracted and biting at a pen, tugging at his collar forward for the tiny fan, exposing a sizable view of collarbones, with a thin shine of sweat streaking his neck. Iwaizumi catches himself staring.

Iwaizumi: _(( unworldly fucker.))_

Iwaizumi: _(i regret this.)_. *gulps at a glass of water.

 

**CUT TO MOMENTS LATER**

 

Iwaizumi: *still distracted. _(What’s taking suga so long?)_

Oikawa: *absorbed in work

 

Iwaizumi: hey can i ask

Oikawa: yeah?

Iwaizumi: why did Kuroo and Suga want me in the Akaashi case but you didn’t?

Oikawa: you’re not supposed to work with souls you knew when they were alive.

Oikawa: it’s a rule of thumb, and it’s safer that way, but guess you can handle it.

....

,,,

*oikawa typing

...

Iwaizumi: have you done that ?

Oikawa: not really, haven’t had to.

Iwaizumi: how ‘bout live people, people you knew before you were dead. Ever bumped into any?

Oikawa: -sure

Iwaizumi: wasn’t that hard? Didn’t you want to talk to them or something

Oikawa: i look familiar but unrecognizable to them.

Iwaizumi: wouldn't you want to live out regrets? All the people you left behind.

Oikawa: And people who can’t handle that reality wouldn’t be cut out to be shinagami.

 

 **CUT TO** Loud knocking on the door.

Iwaizumi:!!

Oikawa:@!!

 

Iwaizumi slaps the door open to Kuroo.

 

Kuroo: wow don’t look so disappointed!

Iwaizumi: suga had icecream

Kuroo: no _i_ have icecream

Iwazumi: good.

 

**PAN TO OIKAWA**

Oikawa: Oh tetsu!

Kuroo: yo!

Oikawa: you got the icecream

Kuroo: yeah bumped into suga near the new bakery, told me to go to give you guys these.

Kuroo: uhh, He said he just needed to cool off

Oikawa: huh

Iwaizumi: really?

Oikawa: *goes through plastic bag. HE DIDN’T GET ME MY MILKBREAD.

Kuroo: hm..now that you pointed it out, he did seem a bit off.

Iwaizumi: not really the type to forget anything..

Oikawa: HOW CAN HE NOT GET MY MILKBREAD THIS IS CLEARLY _INSUBORDINATION_ *storms off.

 

Iwaizumi: someone got all their energy back..

Kuroo: *offers. popsicle?

Iwaizumi: _yes._

 

**CUT TO SMALL FOREST SHRINE**

Suga in his nice plain summer outfit, with knees hugged to the chest motionless on the rock entry way.. The leaves painting patterns on Oikawa making his way silently up the steps.. Oikawa sneaks up to him

 

Oikawa: knew it

Suga: boss!

Oikawa: finally happened

Suga: what

Oikawa: just buy the milkbread.

Oikawa: like it's nothing.

Suga: *pained face.

Suga: you keep whining about your milkbread

 

Oikawa: he’s there right?

Oikawa: baker boy. Your boyfriend

Suga: it sounds so weird when someone else says it…

Oikawa: it’s impossible for him to recognize you.

Oikawa: so go and be the perfect stranger

Oikawa: or don’t show your pretty face to work.

Suga: _(what-)_

Oikawa walks off with a sense of finality but backtracks after two flights of stairs.

Oikawa: KOUSSHI!

Suga: *head perks up

Oikawa: I believe in you! *with a fist raised up. Then stalks away.

 

**CUT TO MEMORY- HOSPITAL- CRITICAL CARE UNIT**

SAWAMURA DAICHI, 22 year old, a simple, sweet faced young man talks about his dream of a bakery. He smells like confectioner's sugar or butter with a heart to match.

Daichi: And you’ll get to see it like you can pull through suga

Suga: don’t make me break up with you

Daichi: kousshi!!

Suga: I’m already letting you take care of me and my uncute illness

Daichi you can’t be not cute

Suga: DAICHI.

Daichi: but i need you there when i open the store

Suga: well we cant’ be sure of that can we.

Suga: I’ll help you _now_. Stop pouting

Daichi: *leans head. I want you to _see_ it

Suga: I’ll go see it from up there, or _haunt_ you.

Daichi: scary

Suga: you better open it daichi, I’m serious.

Daichi: you know I will

Daichi: *kisses forehead

 

 **CUT TO** Oikawa staring at the storefront, looking for a face.

 

SAWAMURA DAICHI, 25 years old, buzzing behind display shelves, with round eyes and cropped black hair.

 

Oikawa: hmph.

*Walks away

 

**CUT TO CRITICAL CARE UNIT- BALCONY**

Suga: _((my body was so weak, we couldn’t go out much.))_

Daichi: *fingers playing with suga’s hair.

Daichi: the sawamura bun

Suga: too long

Daichi: the miyagi special

Suga: bad idea daichi

Daichi: the original sawamura bun

Suga: soul bun

Daichi: english?

Daichi: original sawamura bun *with waving eyebrows

Suga: it looks like those soul swirl things in cartoons, daichi, soul bun c’mon

Daichi: ehh

Daichi: do you even like it? Does it taste good?

Daichi: is it even worth doing?

Suga: i’m too biased. i like everything you do…

Daichi: except naming the extra special original sawamura bun

Suga: no okay i love you too much, but it’s actually good too.

Daichi: huh-

Suga: the filling is just right with the bread texture and the color is just right-

Daichi: stop it, god,

Daichi: really? I loveyoutoo,

Daichi:..

Daichi:*panicked. but are you sure?? Maybe i should do blind taste tests.

 

**CUT TO KARASUNO BAKERY**

Sugawara gawks at the hole in the wall bakery, as if it was blaring with neon lights. It isn’t, it’s quaint and simple and suga scans the faces in the store before making his way in.  

Suga: ( _(why am i looking for him i’m supposed to. just._ )) *goes in.

 

Suga breathes in the scent, traces the shelves. It’s real, Daichi’s dream is real and he actually has milkbread available that suga stuffs in the paper bag dangling of a table and thinks about running ,or slipping his way to the cashier unnoticed, maybe it’s his lucky day and he wouldn’t have to see anyone except, there it is. The face behind a new shelf being restocked. The bread looks like cartoon soul sworls.

 

*head pops out behind the display.

Daichi: Good morning can i help you with something?

Suga: *literally short circuits. Uhhh.

Daichi: *super proud. Fresh from the oven, it’s the soul bun, a karasuno original. you should try it, I’m pretty nervous about my new recipe but i swear it’s nothing but the best-

Suga: i’ ll take two. ( _(I’m really nervous about this but god, daichi is still the same.))_

Daichi: yeah? _(really?what??!??)_

*grabs tongs again,.

Suga: it’s a good name

Daichi: yeah, i think so too *bittersweet smile, while wrapping it up in paper.

Daichi: ok. *grabs a fresh paper bag and folds it enthusiastically, he’s so involved .

Daichi: I know this might sound weird but it's like a dream come true. You’re my first buyer.

Suga: no problem really, . *takes it. Gives money

Daichi: Thankyou so much..

Suga: *bites.

Daichi: *nervous. so, what you think ? honest opinion.

Suga: *breaks into the best smile he had in days. It’s _amazing_ daichi.

 

**CUT TO**

Michimiya , 21, register: someone finally bought your soul bun huh.

'Michimiya: So tell me what was your first customer like??

Daichi: oh. I was so nervous--my brain is drawing a blank?

Michimiya:??

Daichi: sh! It was perfect, he was the perfect first customer.

 

 **CUT TO** slow walk exit the store to a small alley, suga kind of knew oikawa couldn't stay away.

Suga:(i _can’t go back, and i can’t catch up. But i know i was there. but my form has changed...but my heart is still back there praying for you from far away…)_

Suga: tooru, this is so fuckign hard.

Oikawa: yeah koushi i know. i.

Oikawa: hey uh. Can i ? only if you want.

Suga sobs into the other’s shoulder and nods. Oikawa awkwardly pats back with a healing intention, resolution, the energy of death, cutting cords.

Oikawa: you did the right thing and as a reward we’ll take a day off

Suga: mm

Oikawa: did you get the milkbread ?

Suga: *punches gut

Suga: that’s why you waited ?huh

Oiakaw: i- *gag.i was concerned for you too!

Suga: yeah well ,snatches bag away from tooru, let’s just get home..

 

 **CUT TO** Kuroo and iwaizumi playing video games.

Oikawa: yoohoo! You guys missed us~

Iwaizumi: shoot a warning text next time you know crappykawa *punch

Oikawa: can’t decide on the nickname huh, iwa-chan?

Kuroo: sugA!

*walks in further

Iwaizumi: you okay?

suga:  yeah sorry i worried you guys

Kuroo: what’s this *grabs paper bag

Kuroo: sorry, we ate all the ice cream it was melting.

Iwai: *gets bread too, bites. pretty good

Suga: its the soul bun!

Suga: WAIT don’t eat it all- it’s special

Kuroo: *mouth full. Whatdu mean. We can just buy more

Oikawa: *wide eyed

Suga: *leans into Oikawa. But

Suga: We could right? He can’t possibly remember and i

Oikawa: that not exactly advisable -

Iwaizumi: this is better than your stupid milkbread oikawa.

 

Oikawa: okay, THAT’S IT. WHO IS THIS DAICHI

Oikawa: this is not, WHAT is he doing with my life!?


	6. CASE 5: USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI

**CHIDORIGAFUCHI PARK - NIGHT**

Festival lights line the pathways, buzzing with people wrapped in thick clothes, some even in winter kimonos, to appreciate the pink of the cherry blossoms against the black bowl of sky. The full moon floats like the day iwaizumi first met oikawa except that IWAIZUMI HAJIME, 22, is now a working salary man now, four years as a shinagami assistant, four years of being on call for emergencies and not what it looks like when sugawara and kuroo meet him at the steps of one of the park entrances.  

 

Suga: *teasingly. you can do it, you’ll never know!

Kuro: you deserve better to be honest, but suga’s right

Suga : you’ll make each other so happy

 

Iwaizumi: for the love of _god_.

 

Suga: but-

 

Iwaizumi: i am not confessing to oikawa, guys. He’s dead, and also regrettably my best friend.

 

Kuroo: I’M GLAD that we’re at a point where you admit to liking him now

Suga: c’mon now i found the perfect place. *hands patting iwaizumi along..

 

**CUT TO MAKESHIFT HORROR HOUSE BY MIYAGI HIGHSCHOOL AT PARK**

Kuroo and Iwaizumi stand under the archway into the ‘tunnels of death’, and a missing oikawa. Suga fidgets then launches into the festival crowd, phone in hand scrounging for the other half of the ‘ironic’ supposed confessional date. Iwaiumi’s turn in line comes up immediately and kuroo just ushers him in arguing,

 

Kuroo: we’ll just go in again later, when they come back. It’s free anyway, right?

 

 **CUT TO** a white blanket over the ceiling with OoOOOoooh sounds.

 **CUT TO** a piercing scream, then flickering flashlights revealing blood oozing from the walls

 

Kuroo: Hah! Is this chicken meat? That’s either gross or funny

Iwaizumi: i’d say *LOUD DOOR SLAM

Iwaizumi: WHAT THE FUCK .

Kuroo: Hah, You literally work with dead souls and you’re-AAJGASF *BANG OF OMINOUS POWER OUTAGE FAILURE, SIZZLING OF CIRCUITS.

Kuroo: GADDAM *breaks a sweat, catches breath

Iwaizumi: Like i swear that one…

Iwaizumi: *points to a floating , projected image of a white woman

Kuroo: And holy fuck that one. *a jagged creature

Iwaizumi: THIS ONE IS REAL . THIS ONE.

 

A looming half presence, strong enough to grab Iwaizumi collar.

Kuroo zeroes in on projecting his body to hit the living shit out of said spirit. It holds still in Kuroo’s fist, hands up as if in surrender. It has a serious, somewhat stone expression.

 

Spirit: I’m Ushijima Wakatoshi, i have regrets concerning Oikawa Tooru

USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI, 24(?), as large as a wall, an athletic build and almost a crowding dark encapsulating presence, turns his head and cordially bows to Iwaizumi.

Ushijima: i want to borrow your body.

Iwaizumi and Kuroo: *hold up. What??

 

**CUT TO**

Kuroo: Yo first time a pick up went to us.

Iwaizumi: Yeah we’re just assistants wakatoshi-san. we can’t actually deliver you to the other side.

Ushijima: But I’ve gathered enough intel, you have often been a willing host

Kuro: oh so you’re a stalker. Why didn't we pick up your aura huh? You’ve been here a while. You feel like you've been regretfully dead a long ass time, suspicious if you ask me *pokes a fingerhand on ushijima’s chest.

 

Iwaizumi: hey guys-

Iwaizumi: You know wakatoshi, If you have to talk to oikawa then you could talk to him yourself..

Ushijima: he wouldn't agree to it if he knew it was me.

Ushijima: *sincerely. Please.

Ushijima: kindly, i beg of you, lend me your body.

Iwaizumi: (polite..for a spirit..). why did you stick around so long

Ushijima: this festival, *waves hands around. i was waiting for it

Ushijima has a slight change of expression, an imperceptible longing. Iwaizumi has been doing this for four years now and his reaction to that kind of regret hasn’t damned changed…

  


Iwaizumi: *huffs.

Iwaizumi: let’s just get this over with. *offers hand

Kuroo: wait what-

 

A looming gravitating presence, a brief moment where the horror tunnels become real, as colors invert in iwaizumi’s eyes, and this overwhelming wash of foreboding, and _ahh._ There it is. The familiar pit of black regret settling and coiling into every inch of his being. It’s potent, livid. This man may have been dead for a while but his will was shaking with anticipation, almost alive in single minded purpose towards a singular person. It cripples Iwaizumi unexpectadly like, ten tons of bricks.

 

Iwaizumi: _((fu-you’re strong))_

Kuroo: OKAY Did it ever occur to you that this might be a vengeful thing or???

 

**CUT TO**

Iwaizumi strolling under the tree lined path in his now straightened out work suit. The trim polo now tucked in , his grey overcoat now smoothed across his broad shoulders. His posture is ramrod straight and his presence is mostly neutral as it makes a beeline to Oikawa, who’s waiting in a line for colorful candy apples.

 

Oikawa is in a cute light brown kimono and all iwaizumi could think of in the innards of his brain was - _well shit_ . Oikawa Tooru in full traditional dress, snuggled in a large black haori to keep the underlying silk clean and himself warm for the night. He’s let his chestnut hair grow to his shoulders, and for the night’s occasion, pinned a slim hair ornament on the back of his head to keep stray hairs away from his shining face. It made him look elegant and so dressed up and so _himself_ , and Iwaizumi was weak to not approaching this glowing oikawa chatting up the people in the festive atmosphere.

 

Ushijima clearly liked what he saw.

 

Iwaizumi bows politely into Oikawa’s space, with a cordial smile,

Iwaizumi: good evening Oikawa, finally found you.

Iwaizumi: Here, you’re takoyaki was growing cold. *offers said food in his direction

Oikawa: IWA-CHAN! *eyes brighten. You’re feeding me, how nice of you.

Iwaizumi: it’s no problem.

 

Oikawa bubbles in delight as he gets candy apples for the both of them.

Oikawa: let’s go find a spot , yeah? *winks at him and drags him around the booths.

 

Iwaizumi feels his stomach flip at the action and this irrational joy bloom in the center of his chest. He stares at the apple and the looming date. Oh boy, not this again, spirit possession date. Except this time Ushijima is this unstoppable force and has no brain to mouth filter, and Iwaizumi cannot find the reins.

 

Iwaizumi: you look so _nice_ , tonight..

Oikawa: *swivels slaps him squarely across the face.

Oikawa: YOU’RE POSSESSED AREN’T YOU. YOU’RE TOO NICE.

Oikawa: WHO IS THIS?!

 

Iwaizumi: _((..that was fast-))_

Oikawa’s hands snap into death god action with an almost shocking force. Ushijima dodges away from the clawing action and sneaks into Oikawa’s lips. Head tilting, mouth capturing a stunned Oikawa in place. Iwaizumi is similarly rendered powerless by the action, dropping what little control he had left over the regretful spirit. Ushijima feels a rush of power and adrenaline over a physical body, and the kiss that he’s longed for, and to seize this perfect moment

 

Ushijima: _((This is my chance!!))_

Ushijima: *curls his will into iwaizumi's thick thighs, whips out a roundhouse kick straight to oikawa’s head.

 

Sugawara tackles Oikawa to get him out of the way, and Kuroo pins Iwaizumi to the floor.

Iwaizumi: omff-

 

Oikawa: *livid. AFT- WAKA-CHAN YOU LITTLE *suga restrains him

Kuroo: okay who the hell is this guy to you boss?

Oikawa: *spits it out. He’s my rival back in mixed martial arts when i was alive.. HAH. go figure you’d want a fight.

Oiakwa: *struggles against suga. What took you so long?

Ushijima speaks up through Iwaizumi, speaks to Kuroo who's restraining him.

Ushijima: we were always evenly tied, equals, the best.

Oikawa: then waka-chan moved away to shiratorizawa before we could settle the score, what a co-ward~~

 

Ushijima: coward?! Who was the one absent in my final challenge??I left a letter in your locker to finally settle things in this park, at this time, at this festival. You were the coward for never showing up. _((I waited.. for hours, you didn’t even have the dignity to grant me a proper..)_

 

Oikawa: what letter.

Oikawa: ???

Oikawa: who even writes lettters, you're so old fashioned waka-chan.

 

Oikawa: my locker jammed you know. I think i lost that locker around the time you moved..

Kuroo: ...

Suga: ...

Iwaizumi: .. _(i'm sorry??)_

Oikawa: WHATEVER. THIS IS AN UNSANCTIONED AND STUPID AS FUCK POSSESSION. AND KISSING ME IN MY EMPLOYEES HOT BODY IS SO LOW WAKA-CHAN.

Ushijima: let’s settle things then.

Oikawa: gladly~

Oikawa finally wrestles out of sugawara’s grip.

 

Iwaizumi: _(( *is spiritually winded trying to gain control. Teeth gritted: Wakatoshi, I’m not hurting oikawa.))_

 

Ushijima, wrestles kuroo off iwaizumi’s body with strong legs, but Iwaizumi manages to pull back on his own fists as ushijima attempts to sock oikawa at the face. Oikawa parries the weakened arm easily, and elbows iwaizumi’s face hard, with an electric death energy, terrifying and physically cuts his now bleeding lip.

 

Iwaizumi: _whatthe hell was that_ shittykawa.

Iwaizumi: you want me to strangle you’re dumb face-

Oikawa: I’m trying to grab waka-chan- iwa can’t you fucking-

Iwaizumi: *regains footing, with stuttering posture indicating the inner battle for possession

Oikawa: ugh!! You are so infuriating-

 

Ushijima-iwaizumi matches up well to the familiar fist fight.

 

Sugawara: this is not.

Kuroo: Eh.

Kuroo: we tried.

Sugawara: well, this oddly feels normal for the two of them.

 

**CUT TO IWAIZUMI’S POV, INNER MIND - TUNNELING WHITE**

 

Ushijima’s memory snapping up spontaneous imagery. Ushijima and Oikawa young and in high school, in grappling uniforms bowing to each other across the mats.

 

Ushijima: _((Oikawa was an excellent fighter. He could read you, flexible, technical, obsessive..))_

 

A flurry of old matches overlap the fight he’s having with real-time oikawa.

 

Ushijima: _((He was the only one who could keep up with me...))_

Ushijima: _((at the the same time , he was everything i’m not…))_

 

A memory of oikawa’s triumphant smile hovering over a defeated ushijima. It looked overly confident, burning eyes that inspired both awe and fear. Memory ushijima, and real life iwaizumi, swipe at oikawa’s legs. Visions of ushijima fumbling over the letter.

 

Clammy palms shoving the crumpled paper in oikawa’s locker.

A nervous teenage boy. A rare expression on a boring face

 

Iwaizumi: *headaches. *overpowers ushijima for a moement. OIKAWA. i keep seeing the damn letter..

Ushijima is tossing his weight around in iwaizumi’s body.

 

Real-life-oikawa:*backs out of the space. What’s in the letter waka-chan! SPIT IT

 

A brief pause in the fight, everyone recovering their breaths.

 

Oikawa: out with it, waka-chan

Ushijima:..

Oikawa: *holds his gaze steady, anticipating in perfect defensive form

Ushijijma's aura is a tangle of colors, but it coalesces forming finally solid thoughts. 

Ushijima: *holds up fingers... if i win: (1) acknowledge that our dojo is better

Ushijima: (2) come to shiratorizawa with me

Ushijima: and (3)..

Ushijima: *regains posture.

Iwaizumi : _(And what??)_

Ushijima: *smally. be my boyfriend.

 

Oikawa's stance momentarily weakens, as if a non-verbal 'what?'. Ushijima shoots for oikawa’s wrists at record speed, twists it at a painful angle and sends oikawa into the dirt. He wins, but with oikawa weakly whimpering into the floor, soudning vulnerable and hurt.

 

Both ushijima and iwaizumi instinctively weaken their grip to the sound.

Oikawa snaps out of the fake whimper, swings his full weight around and puts iwaizumi into a headlock, painful enough that ushijima wheezes out a tap out tap out. Also the level of physical intimacy had all his internal alarm bells ringing. Oikawa’s presence was an engulfing embrace, invasive, strong; heady. Iwaizumi’s body taxes out on the spiritual aspect of the fight and slumps to the ground. Ushijima’s form stays locked in oikawa’s arms, only a few centimeters hovering above iwaizumi’s body. Oikawa has him boxed into the ground, legs on either side of iwaizumi’s waist, his brown hair brushing the other’s cheeks. Sweat glistening.

 

Oikawa: Hah YOU LOSE. IT’S DONE.

 

Ushijima: *weakly. Apparently so..

Ushijima: you’ve had superior skills even before.

Oikawa: NO, we can’t actually prove that.

 

Oikawa: since you couldn't challenge me to my face, we’d never really know if you could have won me over eh??

Ushijima: uhh

Oikawa: What use is your confession when it’s years too late. How thick headed of a coward are you really?

Oikawa has tears in his eyes, but has a determined look locking gazes between the two of them. Both ushijima and iwaizumi are stunned by the revelation as if hearing oikawa from miles away in a distant echo. _(( who knows, if you could have won me over?? you didn't say it. to, my, face.))_

Iwaizumi feels a renewed weight in his chest, ahh, there it is again. Ushijima reoccupying his space, the energetic reality of a heart thunderously ripping apart. If only it didn’t feel so visceral the slap of regret and deep seated harboring feelings, and iwaizumi pathetically sympathizes with this long dead spirit.

 

Oikawa is special to you too, huh.

 

Iwaizumi didn’t know where he began or ended, ushijima’s outburst in the tail end of his spiritual life gripped into the fibres of his living consciousness that iwaizumi had a hard time differentiating ushijima’s childhood memories from his own. It was so desperate, it was too damn loud.

 

Ushijima:*huffs. so it is. 

Oikawa: Yeah.

Ushijima: g-good match.

Oikawa: *sighs. Brings temples together.

Oikawa: *seriously. rest in peace waka-chan.

 

Oikawa sits up. They exchange nods.

 

The tempest in iwaizumi gathers, materializes into a kinesthetic rain shower. Even oikawa feels it, blinks, then holds his palm up to marvel at the droplets.

Ushijima: The trees. I waited in this park. Would you think of me when you pass here?

The trees aura drinks in the falling chi, it drinks up ushijima’s regret.

 

Oikawa: What makes you think-

Ushijima: At least until the leaves drop by fall. Mourn for me until then, and i’ll go.

Ushijima: i’ll leave you.

Ushijima: this festival..

Oikawa settles into his characteristic pout. A patient version though.

Oikawa: so sentimental waka-chan!

Oikawa: ...Fine.

 

In a single word the rain finishes, dissipating like dust in the air. Strangely iwaizumi still feels the the hard pangs on his chest, ringing, circulating into itself like it would never end. 

 

**CUT TO BLACK**

**CUT TO** Oikawa, and kuroo crowding into iwaizumi’s space. Their speech is incomprehensible, their forms dancing in and out of iwaizumi’s periphery. He vaguely registers sugawara ushering ushijima unto a motorcylcle. He still feels like he is in deep slumber.

 

Iwaizumi: *mutters bitterly. too late

Oikawa: What? Iwa-chan , iwa-chan that was dangerous you know regretful spirit for years, how DUMB are you-

Iwaizumi: you said not to say things too late.

 

Oikawa’s eyes are blown wide in confusion and panic, intoxicating brown orbs burrowing into his soul without permission, just like the day he met him. Oikawa has his full shinigami aura cloaked around him, ethereal hands entering, combing and washing him from the inside, tracing the wreckage of ushijima’s regret, and toxic thought forms and easing it out, soothing his soul.

 

Oikawa: *visibly stressed. I what the mother of god is this heartbreak iwa-chan i can’t pull it out.

Iwaizumi: oh.

Iwaizumi: that’s not Ushijima’s *as plain as day.

 

He's sure.

Cause oikawa is dead by the way.

 

Oikawa stills above him like a statue, oikawa's light extinguished to human levels of spiritual energy. Iwaizumi without the anchor, slips into sleep from exhaustion. **CUT TO BLACK**

 

 **CUT TO** Kuroo quietly regarding an anxious oikawa, the picnic goers happy drunk on sake a stark contrast to their current predicament.

Kuroo: …

Oikawa: ...

Kuroo: you’re being stupid.

Oikawa: This would be for the best. *a sickeningly fake smile, nervous playing with fingers

Oikawa: You’ve been telling me this for ages anyway.

Kuroo: don’t you fucking dare go to your heaven, not right now, not when-

Oikawa: *rakes a hand through his long hair and settles it on his neck. *lazily I’ve stuck around _this_ long now, you’d think-

Kuroo: hey - does suga even know about - *forces his spirit through his grip to grab at oikawa except now there is nothing. Nothing between his fingers, no shinagami in a brown winter kimono. Just the pain shooting in his gripped too tight fist.

 

Kuroo curses under his breath, litanies of curses, until, finally.

 

Kuroo: sorry. iwaizumi.


	7. CASE 6: YACHI HITOKA

**CASE 6: YACHI HITOKA**

 

**MIYAGI APARTMENT COMPLEX - DAY**

SUGAWARA KOUSHI looks fresh in a dapper suit but shifts his weight from side to side, literally jumps when IWAIZUMI HAJIME opens the apartment door.

 

Suga: oh!

Suga: um-

 

Iwaizumi is slumped, defeated arm resting on the weak door. He avoids the other man’s gaze, like an inconvenient stranger. Iwaizumi can come off as drained - bored even.

Iwaizumi: congratulations, on the promotion *without energy

Iwaizumi: but i’m afraid I can’t work today _boss_..

 

Suga: iwaizumi, i had no clue

Suga: and the pick-up-

 

Iwaizumi shuts the door

 

**MIYAGI ALLEY - DAY**

KUROO TETSUROU answers his cellphone while riding on his battered bicycle.

 

Kuroo: Well yeah, ofcourse i can help!

Kuroo: And no shit would he be messed up right now.

Kuroo: yea- nonono. Your first official pick-up will be _fine_.

 

Kuroo leans severely to the left as his bike takes a sharp turn through an alley.

 

Kuroo: we’ll deal with oikawa definitely, c’mon.

 

He slaps the phone into his bag, and feels his teeth gnaw at his own cheek.

 

Kuroo: *mutters. you’re a piece of work tooru..

 

**RIVERSIDE CANAL - DAY**

The setting is infuriatingly sunny and bright, grass green and pick-up in a flowing pink dress of all things. YACHI HITOKA, 80 years old, short blonde hair like a small figure and a quaint smile and doe eyes you want to tuck into a pocket. It says on her profile: dying wish, to find her lover’s ring. It seems to be she’s dropped it in this vaguely grassy area and Kuroo Tetsurou has his butt up, eyes and hands scraping every square meter of the place. Iwaizumi Hajime lies motionless almost dead at a corner, non-reactive.

 

Sugawara Koushi has his face in knots, hands up to Yachi’s head, trying to access her memory. But she’s 80 and it’s understandably foggy. Instead he gets-

 

**FLASHBACK - MANSION GARDENS**

Yachi hitoka, 18, in a poor servant woman’s dress, holding a broom, stealing a glance from what feels like a divinity.

 

Shimizu Kiyoko, 18, in rich silks, a daughter of a diplomatic family, gracing her with a careful smile.

 

**CUT TO RIVERSIDE**

Suga: I understand how this is important to you

Yachi’s eyes widen in panic. Eyes welling up in a sheets of tears-

 

Yachi: you have to help me-

Yachi: i have to find it-

Yachi: our love was forbidden

Yachi: the walls insurmountable

 

Suga balks.

 

Yachi: *begs clutching unto suga’s front shirt.

Yachi: _please_

 

**PAN TO HIGH NOON,** group combing through the grass

**PAN TO AFTERNOON SUN** , group’s whittling energy like melted clay

**PAN TO LATE SUN- DISAPPEARING DAY,** Yachi’s franticness sapped, her face identical to Iwaizumi hollowed out one burning a hole to the ground.

 

Yachi: i can’t leave.

Kuroo: you have to go either way

Kuroo: your lover-

Yachi: SHE WASN’T EVEN MINE!!

*her voicebreaks

Yachi: i couldn’t … even..

Yachi: answer ..her..

 

**CUT TO MEMORY - MANSION GARDEN**

Kiyoko moving away, to be wed. She was offering a promise, offering a small ring. Her voice was just as small, but unmistakable.

 

Kiyoko: know this please.

Kiyoko: i love you.

 

Yachi: _((i couldn’t say anything back))_

 

Kiyoko: this is goodbye

 

**CUT TO RIVERSIDE**

Yachi: *collapsed into sobs

Yachi: i wasn’t even able to say goodb-*simultaneously

Iwaizumi: **I DIDN’T EVEN DESERVE A FUCKING GOODBYE!?????**

Iwaizumi shoots u, livid, yelling a storm up the heavens.

Iwaizumi: **WHAT DOES THAT LITTLE - SHIT**

Iwaizumi: **THINK HE IS!? >?**

Iwaizumi: THE COWARD, THOUGHT IT’D BE TOO MUCH OF A PAIN,

Iwaizumi: LIKE I’D MAKE A SCENE , BECAUSE I WAS ABOUT TO-

*hands wrangle and fist into existential air

Iwaizumi: AS !! IFFF! HE KNOW”S ANYTHING ABOUT GOODBYES

Iwaizumi: STUPID. WHINY. DEATH GOD

Iwaizumi: OFCOURSE IT WILL BE HARD!!

Iwaizumi: I’M IN LOVE WITH HIM

*voice cracks

Iwaizumi: STUPID. FUCKER

Iwaizumi: I DON’T DESERVE ANY OF THIS-

 

Yachi is paralyzed from the outburst, eyes wide in shock.

Suga’s face melts into a curious mix of apology and deep encompassing relief.

 

Yachi: hwa-

Kuroo: IS THAT!??

 

A small glint of light to where Iwaizumi’s body has pressed itself into the grass. A small band of gold, a promise. A ring.

 

Yachi flails into it, a mess of arms tears and thank yous.

Iwaizumi is a diffused bomb. It was a curious light to see someone’s dying wish come true, Yachi’s face beams golden

 

Yachi: *heaved sigh. My conscience is clear

Suga: *weary smile. You can go meet your husband up in heaven

 

Kuroo: wait WHAT?!

Suga points at the file, Yachi sweeps in to answer the obvious question.

 

Yachi: thanks to my husband, this ring is the only thing i could regret.

Yachi wraps her frail arms around Suga.

Yachi: he kept me happy for fifty years..

 

Kuroo rifles at the documents, reading.

 

Kuroo: *murmers. A Yamaguchi Tadashi eh??

Yachi breifly hides into Suga’s shoulders but shoots an awkward glance at Iwaizumi.

 

Yachi: thank you.

Iwaizumi blinks, he hasn’t been quite himself today.

 

An old woman, with eyes full of no-regrets says:

 

Yachi: go get’em.


	8. CASE 7: IWAIZUMI HAJIME

**VOICEOVER (iwaizumi)**

The problem when you’re in love with someone who’s already dead?

 

You keep thinking about your own mortality.

 

 

**CUT TO GREY OFFICE INTERIOR - CUBICLE**

Iwaizumi downs his coffee in one chug, and crushes the flimsy cup. It joins the other four littered on his office table. Iwaizumi’s fingers dig into his temples as the flourescent lights above him sputter in the empty transactions floor. His eye glances at the flashing computer clock: and slows down his typing to a stop. 3:26 am.

 

He grabs a box of cigarettes from the most bottom right drawer.

 

 

**CUT TO OFFICE BALCONY**

Lightning flashes in the distance and camera zooms to lighter flame igniting the cigarette.

 

Iwaizumi takes in a deep breath, and his shoulders lax on the exhale.

 

The delayed rumbled of thunder. Oikawa materializes with no introduction.  

 

Oikawa: Oh good! You’re on break~

Iwaizumi: *flicks the butt of the cigarette at Oikawa

Iwaizumi: _piss off_

Oikawa: There’s this soul who just needs to borrow your body for a sec-

 

Iwaizumi blows smoke into Oikawa’s face, disastrously close to shut him up.

 

Oikawa holds his breath, face disgusted. Then coughs.

 

Oikawa: That’s going to kill you, you know?

Iwaizumi: wow. enlightening, mr god of death.

Oikawa: _angel *_ snottily corrects.

Oikawa:Escort of the reluctant to the other side.

 

Oikawa sounds impressed with himself.

 

Iwaizumi: “The afterlife”

Oikawa: uhuh.

 

The rain pours.

Silence sits.

 

Iwaizumi: must suck, you don’t even want to go to your heaven.

 

Lightning strike. Oikawa’s face slaps into a cross between stop-trying-to-get-rid-of-me and how-the-hell-did-you-know-about-that. Livid.

 

Oikawa: excuse me?!

Iwaizumi: ‘excuse’ you-

Oikawa: never thought of me being a shinagami being the _version_ _of my_ heaven already?

Iwaizumi: what’s so great about escorting -reluctant dead

Thunder clap

Oikawa: that’s when people are most Alive!

 

He says it the way other people say _‘dumbass!’,_ incredulous but charmed by such basic stupidity. Oikawa laughs with his whole body, dissipating the gathered cigarette smoke. The ominous atmosphere vanishes with the tinkle of cry-slash-laughing of some cosmic joke.

 

Oikawa lets Iwaizumi in on the cosmic joke. He postures like it’s some honor. To witness a dead soul’s last wish. Oikawa positions himself on the balcony railing as if presenting himself in this new light, as if iwaizumi can be made to see how energised he is by all these dead people really living.

 

Oikawa: cause when people face _me_ ,

Oikawa: they finally _know_ what they want.

 

Iwaizumi’s throat tightens, fingers curling harder on the cigarette

Iwaizumi stares hard at the shinigami’s smile.

 

Iwaizumi knows what he wants, he grumbles.

 

Iwaizumi: i want you to leave me alone, but you can’t seem to figure that out.

Oikawa: iwa-chan!

Oikawa: hey-

 

Iwaizumi exits back into the office.

 

The storm continues.

 

 

**VOICEOVER (iwaizumi)**

The problem is.

Oikawa _likes_ trouble, the way fireworks are crazy and wonderful.

 

**VOICEOVER (sugawara)**

The issue is.

In Oikawa’s version of heaven, Iwaizumi happens to be in it.

 

**Office door slides into INTERIOR- DAY- IWAIZUMI APARTMENT**

 

**TITLE CARD: PRESENT DAY**

 

Iwaizumi: I’m not killing myself like some romeo and juliet.

Iwaizumi is sitting on the couch fumbling with a box of cigarettes. An ashtray is full to the brim on Iwaizumi’s coffee table and his apartment stinks of smoke and mopiness.

 

Sugawara: that’s not working either. *empties ashtray into the garbage can.

Sugawara: you’re not dying anytime soon.

 

Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow. Sugawara avoids his gaze.

 

Sugawara: if anything you’re alive with _want_ -

Iwaizumi cuts in.

 

Iwaizumi: can’t he appear to me? Like a haunting

Sugawara: that’s his prerogative.

Sugawara: *mutters. Maybe scrying could-

 

Kuroo storms into the room, phone in one ear announcing

 

Kuroo: I HAVE AN IDEA.

 

Pockets the phone and continues to knock Iwaizumi right into the face, and strangles him into a pillow. Iwaizumi fights him of but is caught off guard with the attack and passes out.

 

Kuroo: Suga, quick! Scoop him out, like you’re delivering him.

 

Sugawara worries his teeth into his lip.

 

Kuroo: it’s like astral projecting and well. uhh?

 

Sugawara’s hand activates with the shinigami promotion, fishes out Iwaizumi from head to toe. It is more awkward with someone you know. A veil of iwaizumi rubs his eyes as if newly waking. And sucks a great punch into Kuroo’s gut.

 

Iwaizumi: geez fuck- don’t tell me i’m dead you bastard

 

Sugawara’s eyes widen, perceptions reading through the hand still gripping Iwaizumi’s form. Suga brightens, mouth in an ‘oh’.

 

Sugawara: dead enough?

 

Kuroo pats his chest to check himself, and crumples into his stomach. Groans and huffs in one breath.

 

Kuroo: you ARE, welcome.

Iwaizumi blinks and takes in the lightness of his projection. Incorporeal.

 

Sugawara: I am allowed to assist with your latest regret, soul.

Sugawara: what would it be?

And flashes him his retail-shinigami-smile

 

Iwaizumi: sneak me into his heaven.

Iwaizumi glances at his unconscious body, then at Kuroo.

 

Iwaizumi: bring me back in one piece.

 

**CUT TO**

Kuroo looking through Iwaizumi’s pantry, grabbing packed noodles and condiments.

 

Kuroo sets the kitchen water to boil while keeping an eye at iwaizumi’s limp form in the living room couch.

 

Kuroo: don’t stay out too long now.

 

 

**CUT TO CLIMBING SKY**

Sugawara’s white motorcycle bobbing up and down, the shinigami’s presence like a live wire, holding Iwaizumi in place. Iwaizumi heart pounds at the beauty of the earth that’s shrinking below him, and the tendency for your memories to flash and shutter before you as they break into the other side. His whole body feels like it’s crying, tearing up from the inside.

 

 

**VOICEOVER (iwaizumi)**

 

I thought I knew a lot about last regrets.

 

It’s different when you’re the one dying.

 

 

**CUT TO HEAVEN - RECEIVING BOOTH**

The whole place is glimmering etherically but seems ridiculously mundane. TSUKISHIMA KEI, blond and bored in the entry booth phones in suga’s request to God the son, also called KOZUME KENMA. A fateful technicality is stated through the phone. God the father, ENNOSHITA CHIKARA is writing this very film script beside him. The holy spirit YAKU MORISUKE is texting with an old friend, cooking soup back in earth.

 

_Yaku morisuke types.._

You are NOT. always this nice.

 

 

**VOID CUT**

Iwaizumi is ushered to a door.

 

Suga: five minutes, then you need _to scram_. I’m serious or you’re worse then dead, you’ll be damned.

 

Iwaizumi nods his head, then plunges into the light.

 

 

**CUT TO OIKAWA TOORU’S HEAVEN - EXTERIOR - GRASSY FIELDS & OPEN SKIES**

Oikawa in a summer volleyball outfit, teal and white. He’s a little puffed but self content, looking younger with easy brown hair long enough to cover his eyes. He’s waving at some kids who have a similiar uniform. A worn out volleyball rests at his hip.

 

 

He looks like the word ‘free’ or ‘flight’. Ironically like he was hyper alive.

 

Iwaizumi: _((oikawa.. So glad to see you..))_

 

Oikawa’s head snaps into the materialized form on top of the small hill then yells, coiled in shock.

Oikawa: WHAT TH- WHAT’RE YOU DOING HERE!!?!

Oikawa: A-ARE YOU DEAD?? THAT CAN’t

 

Iwaizumi: suga broke me in

Oikawa: he wouldn’t-

Iwaizumi: kuroo seems to have friends in high places..

Oikawa: are you stupid iwa-chan.

Iwaizumi: no, i just fell for you.

 

Iwaizumi: and if i learned anything i can’t live with this regret.

Oikawa: do-

Iwaizumi douses him with a look that reeks of _justshuttupforonesecond_

Iwaizumi: listen, i love you.

 

Oikawa visibly wilts.Iwaizumi scrambles.

 

Iwaizumi: let me stay for a bit.

Iwaizumi: umm.

 

Oikawa did shut up, oikawa did leave.

Oikawa always knew what he needed like they were A-on, of the same mind.

Maybe Oikawa can guess what happens next.

 

Iwaizumi: so this is your heaven?

 

Sugawara’s voice booms omniscient.

Suga: SEVEN- no TWO MINUTES, GET TO IT.

 

OIkawa’s face melts into his characteristic pout, to the voice of his ex-subordinate. He grabs at Iwaizumi’s wrist and drags him a few hills down, where a large human sized pipe materializes. _Ala startrek._

 

Oikawa: heaven’s custom made per soul, and i know mine looks cool -

Oikawa: but you can’t - _stay_.

 

It’s so businesslike it grates at iwaizumi, he fills the silence

Iwaizumi: so yours is volleyball, grassy hills and coaching kids..

 

Iwaizumi steps into the glass pipe.

Oikawa lets out a weak breath. Small.

 

Oikawa: yeah, it has takeru.

Oikawa: and now apparently iwa-chan! which is even better.

 

Oikawa winces into a regretful smile. Regret! In heaven if you’d believe, his hands fisting into his shirt. Iwaizumi plants a cheek on Oikawa’s cheek. Stays there until Oikawa angles his own head to tuck his lips into the other. It feels like forever and an instant, lightning strikes and impossibilities. Each moment that they’ve ever felt alive folded into itself, cascading exploding a thousand fold. Oikawa shudders.

 

Iwaizumi breaks into the most genuine smile of his life.

 

Iwaizumi: thankyou. Tooru.

 

He says into the other boy’s cheek.

 

The fireworks aren’t over.

Voices rumble over the cosmic intercom as Suga is reprimanded.

Iwaizumi feels Kuroo panicking on the other end of his consciousness, yelling into the phone and gripping at Iwaizumi’s collar. Something about Sugawara, Iwaizumi, back to Sugawara Kenma, Yaku this is all Oikawa’s being a little shit and running away and being a- Iwaizumi’s mind labels the experience as - vortex, as Oikawa and his world collapses and turns and tosses Iwaizumi into the rough fabric of his living room couch.

 

His body is heavy, knowing how to die.

 

Finally he has eyes to cry in.

 

**CUT TO MIYAGI - EXTERIOR DAY - IWAIZUMI APARTMENT BLOCK**

Iwaizumi whistles home from work, running up his apartment block. It’s been two months since Oikawa’s “death” (no way was he calling it ascension) and Iwaizumi, Suga and Kuroo had a good run of slob drinking and bad eulogies. It was fun the way hell was fun when suffered with friends and ironically the hardest part was over.

 

Going to heaven, facing your last regret. Anything else was easy as pie.

 

Iwaizumi couldn’t place Oikawa’s face at first but he’s soon recognized it as regret. Regret was always the case with shinigami.

 

This made it easier for Iwaizumi to volunteer to be a container/assistant. He could see Oikawa’s weird face in them, right at the moment he said _i love you_ , the bit of life fighting, saying I’m not done yet. Iwaizumi reaches his apartment, it’s a good look he thinks.

 

It’s cold and empty, but Iwaizumi is unbothered. He toes of his shoes and catches a glance at his pristine ash tray.

 

He tosses it into the trashcan.

 

**CUT TO MIYAGI - EXTERIOR LATE AFTERNOON - IWAIZUMI APARTMENT BLOCK**

Iwaizumi going home from work, answers his cellphone.

 

Iwaizumi: hey suga, yeah

Suga speaks through the phone

Iwaizumi: no, that’s a bad idea.

 

Iwaizumi enters his apartment, and goes through his routine.

 

Iwaizumi: you have bad ideas when it comes to Daichi then.

 

Iwaizumi: not at my place.. You’re place is nicer

Iwaizumi: hah, ok. see you.

 

**CUT TO MIYAGI - EXTERIOR LATE AFTERNOON - IWAIZUMI APARTMENT BLOCK**

Iwaizumi going home from work, early spring. He goes through the motions of unlocking his unit’s door when it clicks wrong.

 

It sounds wrong. It was already open.

Iwaizumi grabs an umbrella from the entryway and eases sideway into the kitchen unseen.

 

He stall mid-whack on the tall figure in his kitchen that seem to be baking? pie, maybe? It whips around with what looks like Oikawa’s face. It has Oikawa's face. It's actually Oikawa.

 

The first thing that occurs to Iwaizumi, and he hates himself for this, is that Tooru cut his hair. It’s choppy , messy and all over the place and it's unbearably cute.

 

He look's really cute.

 

He whacks him on the side anyway.

 

Oikawa: YEOUCHH! IWA-CHAN. WHAT

Iwaizumi: I TOLD YOU NOT SNEAK INTO MY APARTMENT

Oikawa: I literally came back for you, and this is

Iwaizumi grabs at Oikawa’s arms. He corporeal. No tricks, no apparition, no weird play of light. He’s still humming with a strong spirit though. His kitchen looks like it was trying to bake chocolates.

 

Iwaizumi: shinigami case?

Oikawa: You’re not dying either! IWA-CHAN.

Iwaizumi: then?

Oikawa petulant, whining with the frustration of the moment.

Oikawa: I MISSED YOU.

Oikawa: I Regret. You.

 

Oikawa sinks his lips into Iwaizumi. Latches, forceful, every bit crazed.

Oikawa: I love you too.

Iwaizumi hums into the surprising but welcome sensation. His arms snake around Oikawa’s body.

Oikawa mumbles.

Oikawa: it’s terrible.

Iwaizumi: I can relate

 

Time unhinges at the edges as if they were back to their seven minutes in heaven.

Iwaizumi mumbles into the other’s neck , awed. Mind buzzing.

 

Iwaizumi: how?

Oikawa: I insulted Kenma’s software for heaven.

Oikawa: it was horribly incomplete.

 

Oikawa dives deeper into kissing as if to make a point. Then slaps Iwaizumi’s chest.

Oikawa: phone the others

Iwaizumi: what- *dazed.

 

Oikawa: it’s my damn birthday.

Cheeky, Oikawa palms for Iwaizumi's phone through his butt pocket.

 

OIkawa: and _I_ feel like celebrating.


End file.
